Playboy Magazine once deemed Colfax Avenue, Denver’s main drag, "the longest, wickedest street in America." Those superlatives may or may not be a tad hyperbolic, but anyone who has taken a late night promenade on the street can certainly attest it certainly has….personality. Colfax Speed Queen’s Satisfaction Intended gives the impression that the four-piece has had its share of after-hours festivity and debauchery along their namesake avenue. Here the band has penned eleven charmingly boisterous odes to rock and roll, homemade amphetamines, and most importantly, getting loose in the Mile High City.
Satisfaction Intended opens with audio of a 1950s preacher’s tirade against rock ‘n roll, an attack no doubt leveled at the rising popularity of Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly, whose rockabilly influences are apparent throughout the album. Singer Matt Loui counters with the fact that “Jesus Loves Rock ‘n Roll” (Hare Krishna and Buddha too!), kicking off a half hour of bouncy garage punk. In addition to the musical proclivities of significant religious figures, Colfax Speed Queen cover topics ranging from the gun control debate (“N.R.A., a ok?”) to impending death (“Work Until You Die”) with an energetic and witty slant.
Keyboardist Rob Halgren’s organ blasts give songs like “Fiends in the Night” a vintage ‘60s vibe reminiscent of original punk rockers The Sonics and Subway Sect, while Loui does his best Lux Interior on “Go Steady” with the band emulating the Cramps’ psychobilly vibes. The album reaches its highest points when the band is at its loosest, ripping open tracks like “Ponies at the Altar” and closer “Bathtub Crank” with unbridled energy. Next time you’re wandering aimlessly on East Colfax at 3:00 in the morning, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better soundtrack.
