Calculated, schmaltzy, premeditated, predictable, and full of generic hooks. But the surprise is...Light Me Up contains some absolutely killer tunes (!!!). We had to listen to this EP a few times before we realized that these guys are actually doing a satire of hard rock/pop bands. The line in the song "Make Love" first tipped us off: "I wanna make love to you until you don't even matter." Haw haw HAW!!! We love bands with a sense of humor...and these guys most definitely do. The guys in Gene The Werewolf are based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We're sure they have their share of detractors because of their intense in-your-face approach. But while other bands are meekly roaming around the planet not doing much of anything...these guys are making a real impression. This isn't a perfect EP as the fourth track is kinda ruined by some rap crapping but...other than than, this little disc ROCKS. Killer upbeat ought-be hits include "Superhero," "Heart Attack," and "I've Got The Love." Super tight musicians presenting super slick songs that could easily sell millions. (Rating: 5 out of 6)

In tennis, there’s a place on the court generally referred to as “no man’s land,” which sits between the net and baseline. You don’t want to get caught standing there as you’ll either be unprepared for your opponents shot, or you’ll have a difficult time maintaining ball control and placement. That same kind of concept (perhaps minus ball control) exists in independent music in the situation where a band has achieved a little bit of success but probably not enough to make a stable career out of it. I always wonder what it’s like to be in that slot… the band is probably doing whatever it can to get to the next level, but there’s only room for so many to do that… Is it fun? Probably not. That’s usually the venture point where business and pleasure have a pretty bad failing out.

This brings me to GENE THE WEREWOLF, who feature Jon (”Gene”) Belan of PUNCHLINE, a band that has been through the ups and downs of the music industry, and despite continued musical growth, and an engaging live show, still appears to live on the margins. The word on the ‘WEREWOLF was that it began as a way to bring back the fun in playing music. It does that and more. Light Me Up is a six song EP that is hilarious in execution. I keep looking at the cover art and going through the lyrics and thinking that it is some weird-ass modern twist on George Michaels, but without so much irony that it becomes a joke. GENE THE WEREWOLF is not a joke band… they’re like THE DARKNESS (and the band gives credit to KISS too), with similar musical chops and attention to fantastic, if not intentionally overblown production, courtesy of the fine work of THE STEREO’s Jamie Woolford. There’s humor, outrageousness, and tongue-in-cheek sexuality all over this EP, from the ear-grabbing keyboards (did I just hear some POISON?!?), to Belan’s high-command vocals. I don’t know how a band records this in a studio and does enough takes to get through it without totally cracking up, but Light Me Up is absolutely pro. Put down your Obamacare sign, take a break from debating the finer points of Cap and Trade, and toss on some GENE THE WEREWOLF to loosen up the mood.