The Del-Viles – It’s Just A Kiss-Off
Minneapolis-based act The Del-Viles has been kicking around the City of Lakes since 2021, brandishing a gritty brand of rock ‘n roll that takes the best of ’60s mod and ’00s garage rock revival and mashes it into an unholy unity of blues and modern-day guitar rock. For a three-piece act, they make a surprising amount of sound – expect lots of blues-based riffing and gravel-voiced vocals with ’60s inspired lyrical patterns. They’ve been hard at work and are set to release their brand new album, It’s Just A Kiss-Off, full of blues-inspired jamming with a garage-rock sensibility.
Opening track “The City” is a perfect archetype for what to expect from The Del-Viles. Gravely-voiced, retro-inspired vocals rip through start-stop, 12-bar-blues. Big bouncing basslines rip behind the simplicity of the rip-roaring guitar tones. Track two, “What You Got” leans into these stabby blasts of guitar too, trading nimble basslines for a bluesy groove that sets the mood for lyrics about “knowing what you need, babe – you need love.” It’s a throwback to the halcyon days where lyrics were simple and about loving your babe. Even single “Two-Tone Dress” carries this bluesed-out jam, with the Del-Viles just wondering why their babe doesn’t wear their two-tone dress. It’s a simple and reasonable question… And by the passion with which these lyrics are being sung, I bet she looks great in that particular dress.
The rest of It’s Just a Kiss-Off has very similar vibe in a very cohesive way – no matter what, The Del-Viles are some of the most consistent cats out there. These guys love rockin’ and a rollin’, and that’s the driving factor behind the gritty garage rock they create. There are some notable outliers here though, including the slightly lower-key groove of “Don’t Hang Around,” which could almost pass off as a ska song in a different lifetime. More nimble fretwork from the bass is the highlight here, but beyond that, the guitar chills out without ever losing that buzz-saw quality. There’s also the heartfelt “River Seine,” the album’s closer, which trades razor blade vocals for a touching acoustic song and clean, heartfelt vocals. I almost got some Morrissey vibes from this one… Minus the drama.
If you’re in the area (St. Paul, MN), the album will be released at a show at White Squirrel Bar on 3/7/26. It’s Just A Kiss-Off is available now (March 7th, 2026). Check out the first single from the album, the equally-hyphenated “Two-Tone Dress,” out below.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna