Jan 27, 2010 2:01 PM, By Barbara Schultz

Blasters frontman Phil Alvin wrote the album notes to retro-rocker Nick Curran’s latest album, Reform School Girl, but Curran’s gut-level, dirty rock ’n’ roll doesn’t necessarily have the the critical distance of The Blasters’ updated rockabilly gems. Instead, Curran’s album is a true ’50s-style rock ’n’ roll joy ride. The lyrics are simple (“Crazy bout you baby, but baby you’re crazy oh yeah!”), the audio’s distorted and these tracks rock harder than most anything being cut these days. Alvin makes a guest appearance on one of the album’s nicest songs, “Flyin’ Blind,” and his marvelous voice is always a bonus, but Curran’s a powerful singer himself, alternately channeling the late Screamin’ Jay Hawkins or the great Little Richard. Curran’s also a guitar wizard who has shared the stage with Ronnie Hawkins and Fabulous Thunderbirds, among others. This throwback art is pure pleasure and clearly made for true love of rock ’n’ roll. As Alvin writes, “Nick Curran is a no excuses, in your face, pedal to the floor American rock ’n’ roll musician. The kind that made you love rock music in the first place.”

You can check out Reform School Girl on Curran’s MySpace page, and when you crank it, think good thoughts for Curran, who was recently been diagnosed with tongue cancer. His planned tour is postponed while he gets treated, but with luck he’ll be back at it in a couple of months.

Producers: Nick Curran and Billy Horton. Engineer: Horton. Studio: Fort Horton Studios, Wyldwood, TX. Harmonica recorded and engineered by Phillip Wolfe in Nashville.

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