La Chinga (Independent)

They say a rock band is only as good as its drummer. Or maybe only I say that. Either way, new local trio La Chinga has definitely got it goin’ on in the percussion department thanks to Jay Solyom, who’s a true force of nature behind the kit. He seems like the type of guy who would have worn out his parents’ basement furniture using it as practice pads on a quest to impersonate Bill Ward on “War Pigs”.

Not that the other guys in La Chinga are slouches. Guitarist Ben Yardley brings the ’70s-style Les Paul damage to rifftastic effect, and hellraising singer-bassist Carl “The Spackle King” Spackler has no qualms about opening an album with the lyrics “Wooooo!”, “Aahhhh!” and “Hey, yeahhh!”

After four rowdy tracks that sound like Humble Pie invading Led Zep’s practice space, the band takes a break from boogie-blues to offer up its most compelling number, “To Let Silver”, which mixes spacey, “No Quarter”–like wah-wah effects with a low-down, funky vibe reminiscent of Robin Trower’s “For Earth Below”.

Anyone with an enduring love of the heavier guitar-based sounds of the ’70s would be well advised to check out La Chinga, a prime time being its record-release party April 19 at the Rickshaw, with guests No Sinner, Three Wolf Moon, and Harma White.