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Texas Live Concert Series
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By: Rebecca G. Wilson
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I am a middle aged. jaded person in California and I was not expecting much when I popped on this CD since I don't know who the hell any of these acts are (except one) but the very first song caught my attention, Hey! A song by HONKY called Just a Man. These guys rock like Junkyard, well all right! I was listening to the noodly, distorted bluesy guitar on this most excellent opening track as I wrapped up a phone interview with Felix Griffin from D.R.I./Blunt Force Trauma. "The bass player from the Butthole Surfers is in that band," he said and as I read the names down the list of this compilation and he was impressed with the selection. I listened to whole thang and was impressed with the variety. I'm just reviewing this CD one song at a time in order of appearance . . .
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Pure Luck has a strong power ballad, Your Face Or Mine, this is a drinking song to cry to.
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Stop It You're Killing Me by the Hickoids, long jam with Davy Jones' mind blowing guitars. It's a funny song about a guy who uses pick up lines on gals like someone pulling up his sleeve to offer a plethora of used watches for sale. Davy Jones is kind of a straight man to Jeff Smith's jokes, 'cept he's talking with his blazing guitar.
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Texas Sapphires do a sweet and peppy banjo 'n' fiddle version of New World by X. I like it!
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Pong is an interesting, gloomy song, kind of Folk Implosion/Primal Screamish but I don't like it on the heels of the peppy Texas Sapphires number.
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The Ugly Beats I'll Make You Happy! Yeah! My kind of insect guitared 60s garage influenced indie music, luv this one, got that great Fleshtones feel. The singer's soulful wail is outtasite. I wanna hear more of these guys, yes, yes, yes.
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Waxing Gibbous by Brutal Juice is a nice ballady number with numbing rhythm guitar broken up with screechin', heavy metalish, Brian May from Queen-like solos climaxing with guttural demon voice singing. Brutal Juice lives up to their name!
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Dash Rip Rock has that Squirrel Nut Zippers fun feel with its New Orleans Needs Stronger Dykes song. A fun song with political overtones that remind and enlighten without depressing.
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The Lions song Screaming Out is another heavy number with a Dio meets Junkyard sorta feel, rockin'!
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I was curious about this Churchwood track since I am a BIG fan of singer Joe Doerr's old band the LeRoi Brothers (still gotta review that Churchwood full length CD I have yet to listen to :)) Their tune Vendide Fumar turned out to be one of my fave tracks with its funky Tom Waits bluesy feel and trippy arrangement. Cacophonous blues, well alright.
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The Dirty Charley - Shoulda Killed My Baby - Now this should be the opening track! You gotta go to Texas to find tunes like this. I love politically incorrect art and music and this cathartic song hopefully had a therapeutic effect on its author. I hate to admit it but I like this catchy song with its real country sounding vocals and tasteful guitar solos but I would never go on a date with Dirty Charley.
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Concubine - has a hidden track on here, Hidden Watt Crucifixers which is a nice heavy track.
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Pocket Fishrmen - We Kill Evil is an interesting heavy metalish song with a philosophically inclined singer whose ironically whiny vocals soar above the sea of distorted guitars giving the song a comical feel. Interesting.
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Amplified Heat - Strong Arm Shut Yer Face opens with a bass and drum solo that should have been mixed louder, but these are live recordings so whatever, drums sure jam before the Black Sabbathy geetar comes in and squeals into a rhythmicy punk rock number with a garage feel. The guitars have that East Bay Ray Dead Kennedys feel but are mixed up with that Texas blues solo touch! Nice.
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Some tracks on this CD are stronger than others but all in all this is a really good CD with some GREAT tracks.
Makes me wanna visit Texas!
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