If you're expecting more wall to wall rock-swing, Diamond Light Boogie quickly sends a message that it ain't gonna happen! I kinda like how over-the-top tacky this weird electro-country song is, although the chorus is a bit too experimental for me.
On the topic of genres I don't really dig, full credit for pushing their boundaries with Stay Don't Stay, Grand Mal and My Mistake. Alas, the genres of soul, experimental rock and funk aren't really my cup of tea. However, my dislike of Saddest Thing I Know is the song's fault, not mine! While jazz ballad's don't often appeal to me, the vocal style doesn't at all suit the genre.
Swingin' With Tiger Woods is a very silly vaudeville song which is well executed. Soul Cadillac is a catchy little number that I thoroughly enjoy. Stylistically, it sits in a brilliant space, halfway between swing and ska. So of course I like it! End of the Night is a bouncy fun ska song.
Similarly, So Long Tuts is cheesy, fun swing. Uncle Ray has a similar feel, with a dollop of country music added. It is also very catchy and the storytelling is very heartfelt:
Uncle Ray is gone,
A relative they couldn't find.
Finally free of his insanity,
They covered him with lime.
The punk influences come through for the remaining songs. God is a Spider is one of few glam-rock songs I dig. Its unique sound is great headbanging fun, with horns filling out the sound nicely. A highlight is the bridge lyrics, which paint a vivid post-apocolyptic image. Bleeding Ceremony is another good headbanger, but it is totally let down by the recording quality, which robs it of power. Nonetheless, it is a solid Rage Against The Machine song from a swing band!
Irish Wiskey is also let down by the recording quality. This angry punk song would have so power if it were not for the overly cheese-cutter guitar sound and the muffled drums. It's such a shame. The lyrics are poignant and the instruments get the blood pumping. Also, the chorus is fist-pumping brilliance.
When I first listened to this album, I assumed it was from their early days of youthful experimentation. Especially compared to the slickness of Zoot Suit Riot. However, time has proven this very oddball collection of songs to have some great moments.
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