This weekend, May 22 and 23, 2009, Black Gasoline are playing a free show at the grand opening of Indian Motorcycles in their hometown, Wichita, Kansas, and judging by the copy of last year’s independently released She Gave Us Magic the band recently sent my way, they should be right in their element among the hordes of sweaty, leather-clad bikers downing booze and shouting “Freebird” at Gulch or whoever else happens to be on stage at the time. Their Southern-styled boogie-friendly bbq rock nibbles on the foundations of the recently defunct Dixie Witch, and keeps things mostly straightforward for songs like “Lady Ironwing” and “Coalblackcloud” while injecting others with elements outside the immediately expected. It’s still definitely a stoner rock record.

They get past opener “All Night” before breaking out the cowbell on “Dir-ty White T-Shirt” and make their way through the song with a familiar, warm organ sound and mid-paced groove. The dual guitars of Paul Deceglie and Lovell Hickman (who also handles keys) riff and solo with fuzzy tones and expressive leads. I keep picturing vocalist Bobby Comfort sitting behind a drum set at Room 710 in Austin, TX, but my better consciousness just tells me that’s the Dixie Witch connection popping up again. And it’s true, as I said, there’s a clear influence to be heard on She Gave Us Magic, but a track like “Castor Oil and Marmalade” has a softer feel that’s less party time rocking and more of a subtle shuffle. Every bit of nod-worthy as the three tracks before it, just a different execution.

It’s that willingness to change up the mood and their sound that does best by She Gave Us Magic, making the album — a quick listen, it should be noted — more than just an exercise in fuzz and lyrics about cars, women, drinking and rocking. Of course, there’s plenty of that too (the cock rock lady backing vocals on “A.C.T.I.O.N.” the apex thereof), on a song like “Pesci,” which is addressed to the ubiquitous “mama” who has tortured rockers lo these many years. But, balanced against “Ghost is the Highway” — my personal album favorite with its catchy, bluesy organ soulfulness and slightly doomier chorus riff — there’s a variety in Black Gasoline that presents itself naturally, flows well and establishes the record as one with more than just stoner rock clich? on offer for those who would seek it out.

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