Crash Kings have a favorable identity crisis. The rock trio’s El Rey set last Friday as support for Rooney opened with their single "Mountain Man," a heavy, blues rock piece uncommon in local sounds. But the southern grit seemed to end there. What followed were high voltage piano-based big beat songs charged with loud, confident and tasteful pop anthems. Best off, their power pop isn’t precocious. Aside from proving themselves multifaceted, Crash Kings exhibited an unusually high energy from each member’s trying to topple each other in how severely they could beat the shit out of their instruments. A battle truly worth witnessing. -Hugo Gomez