Classical Ass
After Lunch, Lets Kill Tony
Diaphragm Records
Something here reminds me of the proto-industrial punk bands of the 1980s LA scene. These guys sound angry and angular, with rough, chunky chords and nasty, socially-conscious lyrics. Even the members’ names are reminiscent of the half-joking, half-serious names people took in those golden days. The Drummer? Beatloaf. Bassist? Reasonable Steve Texas. The rest of the band? Normal names – it keeps people off balance.
Ok, everything here happens fast, and you need to pay attention lest you miss the joke or the sermon. “Vicious Bastards” lauds public transit and condemns the evil SUV fleet that infests our roadways. “Oh, Neutrino” sings the joys of one of the least appreciated subatomic particles. A few instrumentals creep in, such as the aggressive “Preferably Zombies,” and we even get a song about the evils of Thai sex shops, “Pattaya.” I tell ya, these guys cover the water front.
Musically, Let’s Kill Tony is distinct and peppered with bits of rockabilly, surf and metal, but revolves closely around the old-school punk axis. I can’t say this is the sort of disc that stays on the turntable, but I’m glad it passed though my hands.
Diaphragm Records: http://www.diaphragmrecords.com
