by Hal Horowitz
With legendary producer Jack Douglas at the helm, it's perhaps not surprising that the Canadian quartet the Trews emerge as a combination of Aerosmith's melodic hard rock, Cheap Trick's thumping power pop, and Alice Cooper's tough glam -- all acts Douglas has done exemplary work with in the past. Already a well-known outfit in Canada, the band's sophomore effort is the first to receive a wider (i.e., U.S.) release, which is natural since the group's sound is prototypically American. Den of Thieves manages to be both commercial and edgy, in large part due to the band's tendency to combine hook-heavy stadium rockers with more psychedelic, almost Beatlesque flourishes. There are more than … » Read more