Reckless Sons Wreak Havoc Across Pond

The Beatles, The Office, Kiera Knightley. Imperialism. The British have long produced brilliant material we can’t wait to get our grubby American mitts on. So it’s refreshing in these dollar-weak times when we’re able to send some US flavor to our tea-sippin’ cousins across the Atlantic, like shit-stirring youngsters Reckless Sons. The Lower East Side outfit is presently tearing through their six-week UK tour, leaving the Brits in quite the tizzy with their distinctly American brand of the rock.

“Sweaty, sexy, American rock and roll,” to be precise (according to the Brit music blog brightoncalling.com). The Sons are already being compared to US rockers of yore like Bon Jovi, Guns & Roses, and Def Leppard. Currently on tour with Franz Ferdinand-esque UK band the Splendours, Reckless Sons’ “Animal” was ranked #2 under MGMT’s “Weekend Warrior” on the same UK chart. Up next, the boys play the main stage at the Brighton Festival. They haven’t even released an album yet.

With his grainy voice and dirty hair, frontman Matt Butler is more Pete Doherty than Pete Wentz, and the band’s stripped-down sound makes for a good time (even if they’ve yet to knock up a Simpson). Despite their tender age (Butler is only 21, though his haunting voice and stage swagger suggest slightly more grizzling), the Sons have been rocking downtown joints like Arlene’s Grocery, Lit, and even CBGB for a while, as well as festivals like Quadruple Bypass (SXSW’s hard tough little sister).

Reckless Sons is slated to return stateside for the mid-October launch of their album, Don’t You Dare. Their single “Hate to Love You Again” hits the UK in two weeks. After that, a US single drops, along with the band’s saucy, sapphic “Blood” video, featuring bloodsucking Penthouse Pets and a brief yet touching cameo by our own BlackBook editor Fernando Gil (a shrewd bit of PR if ever there was one).