Thanks to Kurt Cobain’s apparent endorsement, as well as the major-label feeding frenzy that followed, the big money came a-knockin’ for their next kill and saw dollar signs with Royal Trux. With Virgin money in pocket, Hagerty and Herrema pulled out all the stops and became the Beverly Hillbillies of indie rock. Along the way, a loose concept of doing a trilogy of records that captured the spirits of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s was hatched. For part one, they brought on former ’68 Comeback bassist Dan Brown, along with drummer Chris Pyle (son of Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artemus Pyle), and percussionist Robbie Armstrong. Next, they hired one-time Neil Young producer David Briggs, (over-) rehearsed 10 new tunes and decamped to Nashville to record live at Joe Walsh’s Kiva Studios. Oddly, Thank You sounds much more indebted to the heavy boogie and glam of ’70s Grand Funk Railroad and T. Rex., respectively, than anything from the ’60s. And, surely, “Sewers Of Mars” is a Trux-esque nod to T. Rex’s “Ballrooms Of Mars” from 1972’s The Slider. For a live recording, Thank You sounds so clean, crisp, and tight that it’s weird to think this is the record (and group of songs) that followed Cats And Dogs.

The major label version of Royal Trux is a well-oiled and polished rock ‘n’ roll machine, for sure. There’s a reason their kick drum said “The World’s Best Boogie Band” (or something to that effect); it wasn’t a lie. Unfortunately, the tunes here are so rehearsed and cleanly recorded as to come off a little stale. Regardless, there’s a reason “Night to Remember” and “Ray-O-Vac” remained in their live sets right up until the band’s demise. All told, anyone coming to the Trux for the first time through this record would be probably be confused. And for longtime fans, Thank You probably seems the most timely and offers the least marginal returns, especially seated between Cats And Dogs and Sweet Sixteen. But it’s a good and solid rock ‘n’ roll record, nonetheless.