I've begun the first shuffling steps toward some new reviews, tenuous steps filled with fear. Why so fearful? Oh shit! It's "Friday the 13th". I think I better procure copies of "Saturday the 14th" and "Saturday the 14th Strikes Back" asap! Sounds like a perfect way to retroactively celebrate a non-holiday. But what will I do today? Guess I'll just go see Monster Magnet (yes, this is really happening. Fuck you, Jon and Shane).
So just to stay in touch I thought I'd drop some tune-age on you lovely bastards just to show I still care ("but Eddie, what have you done for me lately?" and all that jazz).
This record has been keeping a spring in my step while I make my way down the chilly, bustling streets of NY and it's kind of relevant because it samples 3 films I absolutely love!
Sloppy Seconds: Destroyed
I never gave Sloppy Seconds the time of day during my days of rabid Ramones influenced pop-punk consumption. Well, I was remiss because they're actually quite good (relatively speaking). The hooks are more subtle than your Screeching Weasels, Queers, and Vindictives, and the songs are better off for it.
Sloppy Seconds are a punk ROCK band, they seem to draw no influence from hardcore punk and this is refreshing, no delving into skate punk territory a la The Queers (whose delving was quite fruitful) and Screeching Weasel (who had varying degrees of success), just solid Ramones-y, 70's hard rock and power-pop influence.
The lyrics are a bit of a hurdle in places and really charming in others. The more misogynistic lyrical forays are off-putting and I'm not here to make excuses. The protagonist as fat drunk male loser, sad and self-destructive -- but not without moments of nobility, sensitivity and profundity -- is here in his full cartoonish (made even more cartoonish as a result of the Popeye-esqe vocals of B.A.) glory. Some songs reference B-movies ("Mars Needs Women," "Horror of Party Beach" and maybe "Black Roses"?) and work exceptionally well. The song "I Don't Wanna Be a Homosexual" left me scratching my head a little but subsequent "listens" revealed it to be a fairly playful, good-natured tale of a guy frustrated about the rumors circulating regarding his sexual preference, nothing overtly homophobic as far as I can tell. Generally the lyrics are a minefield of potentially offensive (not in a eye-opening way) and hurtful attitudes and statements, but if you are a fan of the genre it probably won't be too bothersome.
The songs are short-ish, simple, catchy and fun, some include samples from great films ("Mars Needs Women," "Horror of Party Beach," and "Female Trouble"). Solid hooks and melodies, which are catchy without being obnoxious, overdone or childish -- all potential pop-punk pitfalls -- make "Destroyed" a "grower" and allow for repeat listenings.
The record cover is great, a parody of the KISS album "Destroyer" with Ace and the boys replaced by the much less spectacular members of the Sloppy Seconds, making perfectly clear what's in store for the listener: chunky, drunken middle-class losers celebrating bad movies, beer, sex, revenge, and rock n' roll using only the most essential guitar chords.
A lot of fun with some glimpses of beer-soaked heart at the bottom of the pizza box.
Check it out here:
And I almsot forgot...HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! You are the coolest, no bullshit.
I'll be back with more movie stuff soon if I survive FRIDAY THE 13th PART 29!
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