While my mood is rockin' and instrumental, we must not forget Chicago roots and neo-retro rockers the RipTones, whose sixth album, Slant 6, is out on Sparkletone.

The band - Jeb Bonansinga on guitar and most songwriting, Earl Carter on upright and electric bass, Michael Krasovech on lead guitars, Perry LaFine on drums and percussion - has been around since 1990 and has boiled down their lip-licking sound to instrumentals derived almost equally from rockabilly and surf with a healthy dose of Memphis soul: Carl Perkins meets the Ventures in Booker T & the MG's backyard.

The album, though a bit scanty at 30 minutes, is remakably consistent. Personal faves include the lanky twang of "Go Be Do," the forceful riff-rock punch of "Extra Sauce," and the Big Surf chromatic acoustic and electric guitar interplay of "Close Shave." To paraphrase George Carlin, the RipTones are sweet and stanky enough to entice a buzzard off a shitwagon.