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The hype of Detroit Rock City has passed.

Let's get on with it - shall we?

Capitol Cities kicked in the door of the Detroit rock establishment in 2004 with the release of their 9-song opus to the excesses of the cities' rock scene, "All Thrills...", a record that brought you the party before the hangover. It was a no-bullshit rock 'n' roll record meant for delivering the rock 'n' roll goods, and in pushing the record, the Cities earned themselves a reputation around town for drunken mischief, controlled arrogance, and the occasional crash-and-burn gig. Nonetheless, when all was said and done, "All Thrills..." became a local favorite, making several local year-end best of lists.

Fast-forward to 2006: Not a whole lot has changed in Detroit. The hype is gone, but it's still the same city that it was before. That doesn't mean you pack it in and call it a day, so the Cities' went in for round two. With infamous Detroit producer Jim Diamond once again at the helm, the Cities' moved beyond the collection of three-chord pop structures and distanced themselves from the local hype machine - and all the baggage that comes along with it. Enter "M.F.I.C.", a five-song venerable "fuck you" record made with with all the right references in all the right places.

Gone are the nods to Johnny Thunders and the 70's New York street punk that were all over "All Thrills..." Comparisons to the Detroit garage rock hierarchy were thrown out the window - right where they belong. "M.F.I.C." embraces everything from stoner rock to trashy glam, psyche-rock to Grande Ballroom-era Detroit, Capitol Cities have created a perfect transition piece for the next phase of Detroit rock.

Throwing off the shackles of expectations has paid off. Insecurities have been shed. Chris Capitol's lyrics to have meaning beyond drunken Saturday night flings and his own ego. Guitar duo Geo & Atom Bomb trade licks like Slash and Izzy and knock 'em dead like Wayne Kramer and "Sonic" Smith. Bassist Ian Williamson and drummer Mark Tabor hold the ship together and give the tunes a loud, thundering, low-end drive like you haven't heard in ages.

So the boys have grown up. They've moved on.

You can keep the past. Capitol Cities want the future. And in case youre wondering, this is exactly what it sounds like.