There's something immediately appealing about The Blanks' debut release, "kiss you on the mouth."

The Lansing-area band mixes clear guitar tones, fuzzy keys and groovy bass to help create its revival sound. It's pure rock 'n' roll with strong influences in '60s British rock heroes, such as The Kinks.

True, "kiss you on the mouth" might be a little messy, but it works. Sometimes the music seems jumbled, but the idea is there.

The only thing that could make this album better is a little practice on behalf of vocalist James Peterson. He proves he can sing, at least good enough, in songs such as "he's in love [again]" and "if i ever." But when listening to the first song, "dear old friend," Peterson's screaming just doesn't mesh with Dan Nordheim's calm, '60s-style, folk-rock guitar.

At the risk of coming off as a mean-spirited, local-music hater, I have to say that the song "dear old friend" sounds a little too much like those new Quizno's commercials with the strange animals; you know, the freaky "we love the subs, subs are a dollar off," ads.

But, I can tell Peterson has vocal talent and he's energetic. His vocals on the chorus of "do without" actually are pretty spectacular.

A slower rock mark on the album is "man of the hourglass." It sounds similar to early Bob Dylan, especially when Peterson breaks out the harmonica. The bass takes on a major role, making the song more catchy.

But not all the songs fit together so well. It doesn't seem like The Blanks have found a sound that compliments each member's ability. Still, "kiss you on the mouth" is a solid first effort. It's pleasing to listen to and shows off the potential The Blanks have.

The band will celebrate the album's release with a show Thursday night at Mac's Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing, with local groups The Avenues and Corcovado.

If you like this, you might like: Bob Dylan or The Kinks

Suggested listening: While sitting on your porch, waiting for spring to hurry up.