Review DEXTER & THE MOONROCKS “Friends That I Don’t Like”

When a band describes its sound as “Western Space Grunge,” that’s unusual enough to raise a few eyebrows—and certainly enough to spark some curiosity. So who came up with this rather intriguing genre cocktail? Meet Dexter and The Moonrocks. And who exactly are they? Well, they’re four guys from Abilene, Texas. And just to clear that up right away: there’s no Dexter in the lineup. Instead, it’s James Tuffs, Ryan Anderson, Ty Anderson, and Ryan Fox who set out to put this unlikely mix of styles onto record.

With Friends That I Don’t Like, the guys have now completed their debut album, packing 14 songs onto the tracklist. It doesn’t take long to figure out what makes this band tick: alternative rock, Southern rock, and grunge all meet here. The opener, “Don’t Wanna Be High”, already puts those ingredients on the table and leaves you wondering where this ride is going. With songs like “Mull It Over”, you might even start imagining what Nirvana could have sounded like if Southern rock had been part of their musical vocabulary.

“Why Don’t You Say So?” shows a more emotional side of the band without sacrificing energy. Guest vocalist Avery Anna adds a welcome new dimension, with her vocals creating a different dynamic within the song. Things slow down again on “Complacent”, which leads into the acoustic “Let It Hurt”. “Under the Weather” balances energy and emotion before “Space Invader” brings the grunge influence back into focus.

What remains present throughout the album, though, is a strong sense of melody. That makes all 14 tracks easy to connect with and gives even the more stylistically diverse moments a certain accessibility. There’s also a deep streak of melancholy running through the record, and it becomes particularly apparent on “Freakin’ Out”.

Imagine Nirvana growing up in Texas, trading the flannel shirt for a cowboy hat, and discovering Red Dirt country along the way. That’s roughly the territory you’re stepping into with Friends That I Don’t Like. It’s an intriguing album whose stylistic crossover adds another shade to both grunge and Southern rock. Western Space Grunge? Whatever you want to call it, Dexter and The Moonrocks have certainly made the term their own.