POP MUSIC REVIEW : Social Distortion’s Bracing Rock Lacks Needed Eccentricity

In a lot of ways, Mike Ness is the Joe Strummer of Southern California. Like Strummer’s London-bred Clash, Ness’ band Social Distortion was forged in the crucible of a turbulent punk-rock scene--early ‘80s Orange County--and both groups went on to expand their musical and emotional range by tapping into a rock “root.”

In the Clash’s case that was primarily reggae, while Ness turned to the harder side of country music. That merger helped make Social Distortion one of the more intriguing bands to survive the punk era, but, as it enjoys its highest level of popularity yet, the quartet shows signs of spinning its wheels.

At the sold-out Hollywood Palladium on Thursday (the first of two nights there), singer-guitarist Ness and his bandmates put on a bracing display of headlong, slam-pit-pleasing rock.

But that’s pretty much all Social Distortion did. Ness eventually opened up the narrow dynamic and emotional range, but the inclusion of such songs as “Ring of Fire” and Ness’ own departures from the punk formula seemed more like afterthoughts than essential components of a clear creative vision.

Besides the musical range, what seemed to be missing was the eccentricity and keen alertness to the moment that marked the Clash’s peak performances. At those shows, you couldn’t take your eyes off Strummer because you never knew what might catch his attention and trigger a tirade or a rhapsody. That sense of possibility made the experience alive and unpredictable.

Ness never neared those boundaries. His stolid, solid, working-stiff stance was fine as far is it went, but he needs some ambition and imagination to complement his musical and emotional substance.