From the sounds of this record, Melatonia is the extra-dimensional world where the drinks are always cold, the nights breezy, the music rocking, and the musicians loose. When you find the secret door on Frenchmen Street, all these riches will be yours but, in the meantime, this CD will do the job nicely. It’s the rock project of many Frenchmen Street musicians, ranging from Dominic Grillo to Bruce Brackman to leaders Robert Snow, Jr. and Pat Ricks, all of whom are more known for traditional and roots music more than the rock here (even though it’s easy to hear how the Bards of Melatonia is based in the New Orleans sound perfected by Dave Bartholomew, Allen Toussaint and Cosimo Matassa in the 1950s and 1960s). There are doses of swamp pop and rhythm and blues, but mostly this is straight bluesy rock and roll, from the squealing solos of “Skitzoid” and forceful baritone vocals of Ricks to the steady backbeat of Anthony Donado. All the songs are tightly compacted so that they get in, get to the point, and get out without any indulgences—refreshing in this day and age. Also, the songs still rock but vary their tempo and dynamics so that this recording keeps the listeners’ attention. The music here covers the subjects of laments, love songs, and call outs ranging from the horn-driven funky diss of 9^th Ward newcomers to defiant pleas to radio D.J.s who won’t play their music in “Mr. D.J.” It’s good to hear these musicians making good music while getting out of their alleged comfort zone, and for those who don’t know where the magic entrance to Melatonia is, this CD will be a fine substitute until they can get one of these musicians to give up that secret location.