Singer and songwriter Luke Yeoward used to be the singer for Auckland punk rockers Suicide Dogs - a band who had a fair bit of mongrel - back in the day, with catchy and beautifully abrasive songs like Breaking Away and Willoughby Street.

Now, along with his band King Cannons (a Melbourne-based Kiwi six-piece), the 26-year-old has taken that punk rock attack, refined it, added some thigh-slapping swagger and come up with a debut collection of rock 'n' roll songs with raw soul and grunt.

It moves from the swinging throaty sing-along of Stand Right Up, to the head-down, hard-out hollering of Shot To Kill, and then there's rowdy porch tune Call For Help, which is driven along by bongos and cowbells.

But they can also simmer and soar on understated beauty Ride Again, Charlie O - which starts out like a Clash-style reggae skank but instead echoes and meanders along effortlessly - and then the relentless, breezy folk strum of Cool Change kicks in.

But it's songs such as The Brightest Light, a towering rock anthem like Springsteen-meets-Green Day, and album standout Too Young, that are the most obvious signs of the band's grand ambition and promise.

Quite simply, King Cannons make chest-beating, toe-tapping music for the masses.

Stars: 4/5
Verdict: Scorching rock 'n' soul with a punk attitude.

Buy a copy of The Brightest Light by King Cannons here.

- TimeOut