Kevin Bronson on June 18th, 2013

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Much has been made of the distinctive manner in which Crash Kings make their music: The Los Angeles trio goes guitar-less, using an array of synthesizers, keyboards and effects that gives the aural impression there’s shredding going on when there’s nary a six-string in sight. It’s heavy-duty blues either way, and it was Crash Kings’ songwriting – especially their monster single “Mountain Man” – that put Tony and Mike Beliveau and Jason Morris on the map some six years ago, when Linda Perry signed them to her Custard Records and, in 2009, when Universal Motown released their debut. That their follow-up record “Dark of the Daylight” hasn’t materialized until this week is a tale record-label politics and arm-wrestling. But here it is, started way back in 2011 and produced by Nick Launay and bursting with classic-rock bombast. Curiously, the band has had to turn to fan-funding to finance promotional support of the record (the label is offering none). Nevertheless, “Dark of the Daylight” works hard to elude blues clichés, succeeding some of the time, and the album’s sheer muscle is a thing to behold. Pound those ivories.

||| Stream: “Hot Fire”

||| Live: Crash Kings play July 10 at the Troubadour.