Guttermouth- Covered with Ants

This is Guttermouth's sixth studio album. It was released in 2001, two years after Gorgeous.

Lyrically, the album is mainly tongue-in-cheek sarcasm, which is used as a vehicle for either immature frat-boy jokes or insightful social commentaries. This means that looking past the... ahem raw vocal and musical style, there is  occasionally a surprisingly intelligent contention being discussed. However, to add to the list of misheard lyrics, only now have I discovered that
I need a new direction,
like a positive regression
is, in fact, not
I needed an erection,
like a positive regression
Whoops! But, in my defence, the 2nd version is completely plausible for Guttermouth lyrics (eg purile and non sequitur)!

Stylistically, the album covers quite a bit of ground within the confines of punk-rock: headbanging (That's Life, What You Like About Me), moshpit frenzies (Can I Borrow Some Ambition, I Won't See You in the Pit), catchy pop-punk (Secure Horizons, She's Got the Look) and sea-shanty influences similar to Dropkick Murphy's (I'm Destroying the World, Chug-a-lug Night). Away from the moshpit, the moshput frenzies don't translate into very enjoyable CD tracks, but this is just a couple of songs scattered amongst the tracklist, so it isn't a problem.

As far as recording quality goes, the vocals are quite grating, but this is par for the course with punk-rock. At times, the guitars and snare sound strangely muffled, but otherwise the sound conveys both power and crispness in a polished pop-rock style.

That's Life works well as an opening track; a quick number to set the scene for the album without "wasting" a great song as the listener is warming up. The final track, Cram it Up Your Ass brings together the motif scattered between various tracks throughout the album. It seems to be a parody of concept album wank (*cough* Star Turtle *cough*), which you will either find an amusing pisstake, or just plain annoying.

As someone who doesn't own any other Guttermouth albums, I tend to prefer the more pop-punk songs on the album. She's Got the Look is very catchy and, like Josie by Blink-182, a beatifully emotional skate-punk love song. Also, the commentaries on consumer-driven society (Secure Horizons), society's enforced vanity for females (Looking Good is All That Matters) and redneck cultural values (I'm Destroying the World) are personal highlights. In many ways, it's like the Violent Femmes: arty/queer outsiders making a point using rock music (which ironically gets embraced by the meathead quarterbacks they're singing about). Quite intellectual, once you strip off the immature frat-boy packaging...

Favourite songs

Can I Borrow Some Ambition, Secure Horizons, She's Got the Look, I'm Destroying the World, Chug-a-lug Night, What You Like About Me, I Won't See You in the Pit

Worthwhile?

Yep. Often raw and nasty, but there is real substance below the surface.

Oiska- Live at Arthaus June 2001

This is a bootleg recording (hence the lack of cover art) from the iconic Melbourne punk/hardcore venue. It was recorded on 7 June 2001, about a year after the release of their debut EP.

The recording quality is a bit rough, but we can't expect too much considering it was just a guy in the crowd with a portable MiniDisc (remember them?!) recorder. The balance between instruments is good, however it is often difficult to hear/understand the vocals. The rhythm section is very "tight" for a ska band, however the horns were a bit hit and miss on the night.

Many of the songs are from the debut EP, and actually I prefer these live recordings as the atmosphere better reflects the band's energy. Also the banter from the crowd is amusing in itself: it seems the band were taking too long between songs on the night, so there are heckles like "Just play the fucking song", "Come onnnnnnnnn" and "Call yourselves a ska band, motherfuckers?" !

Among the EP songs which are played well are Al Capone, Eugene, Front Bottom, Police Woman, Unjumpable Shrubbery and Jerk Pork Skank (with a little suprise cover at the end). On the other hand, Arabian Taxi Driver, Pink Panther and OISKA had great energy live but seem to lack depth when heard on a recording.

Some people might be wondering why I mentioned vocals earlier? Weren't Oiska an instrumental band?? Actually, the songs  Heard It All Before, Bracket Creep and Opportunity Knocks feature fantastic lyrics. The songs are feature great instrumental parts, but with the added bonus of a lyrical story on top. All three songs are among Oiska's finest, in fact Heard It All Before is my all-time favourite Oiska song.

The instrumental The Way It Goes is a bit disjointed and simplistic in my opinion. However Sniffen Glue is vintage Oiska- a perfectly polished instrumental.

Favourite songs

Eugene, Front Bottom, Heard It All Before, Bracket Creep, Police Woman, Unjumpable Shrubbery, Sniffen Glue, Opportunity Knocks, Jerk Pork Skank

Worthwhile?

Absolutely. If you like Oiska, you should beg/steal/blackmail- whatever it takes- to get a hold of this rare recording!

Skazz- Welcome to Civilisation

Skazz is a band which combines... you guessed it... ska and jazz. This debut album of theirs was released in 2002.

The style is heavily influenced by early ska, with similarties to a fast-tempo version of The Skatelites. A highlight for me is that many of the faster songs sound like they are on the brink of chaos, yet it is precisely executed so never sounds messy. As per the jazz influence, the structure is typically extended solos returning to a common "head" (chorus).

The recording quality is top notch. All instruments are crisp, have wonderful texture and very well balanced in the mix. It is very impressive for a small-budget debut album. This quality matches the excellent musicianship throughout the album. A personal highlight for me are the intricate drums on the faster tracks.

Fast-paced "dancing ska" is Skazz's signature style, such as Into the Fields, This Filthy Life, Welcome to Civilisation, Fungoloid, Journey On and Mr Refinement. These songs have a similar style to New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble and Secret Agent 8. To give the audience a chance to catch their breathe, Mr Curley's Dance, Crotcheted Snood, This Filthy Life and Sway are slower tempo rocksteady tracks. Crotcheted Snood brings out a latin feel, while Sway is a brilliant slow-burn rocksteady version of this classic pop/jazz song.

Favourite songs

To the Fields, Mr Curley's Dance, Crotcheted Snood, This Filthy Life, Fungoloid, Journey On, Mr Refinement, Sway

Worthwhile?

Yes. Infectious fun!

Commissioner Gordon- Get in the Car

This is the first (and only) studio album from Commissioner Gordon. It was released in 2001, one year after their debut EP.

It doesn't feel right using the word "mature" when reviewing a ska CD, but this album is very smooth and sophisticated ska. It's worlds apart from their debut EP, and I really dig both styles.

Recording quality is mixed- the cymbals are a unintelligable mess, the kick-drum could use more bottom end punch, the snare is hollow in some songs, and the bass guitar sound is lacking (in different ways) in some of the songs. On the positive side, the ocker vocals are crisp and honest, the horn sound is rich and "meaty" (other 3rd wave ska bands take note!) and all the guitar sounds- from smooth reggae offbeats to cheese-cutter punk- sound great.

Anyway, on to the songs. There are five (mostly) instrumentals on the album, my favourite of which are are Diplomatic Immunity and Sax Offender. Both are high-energy combinations of punk/ska/swing, with the running basslines and horn layering being particular highlights for me.

A couple of songs follow the more traditional offbeat-verse-punk-chorus structure, such as Columbian Druglord (with reggae elements which contrast wonderfully) and a rehash of Bernie Got Wise from their EP (sadly lacking the funk intro. Boo!). In these punky moments, influences of  Twisted Sister are heard.

Slowing things down a notch for a cool menacing rocksteady feel are, Balinese Bodypart Bandits (which is a bit of a poor cousin to Bernie Got Wise in my opinion) and Sensible Ska. Sensible Ska could almost be a serious protest song from the band Midnight Oil, due to the menacing mood, strong riffs and anthemic chorus. But the completely ridiculous lyrics shatter such notions. And make for a brilliant song!

Similarly, Volvo Drivers has a great cruisy feel, as it flows from start to finish without a chorus. The layering is a highlight for me, as is the comic treatment of serious social issues in the lyrics. The issue of teenage pregnancy also gets its tale told without any respect for the seriousness, in Teenage Mother. A very funny portrayal. Or perhaps disgracefully insensitive, depending on your perspective, I guess...

Sherlock Homes, a funny backhanded complement to parking inspectors, could be described as disjointed, but the lyrics make it a favourite for me. Strangely, the final song is actually a brilliant opener- Better Call the Commissioner.

At one of the bands reunion shows, between songs the singer said something like "We turn up year after year and just play the same stuff every time. But you guys seem to love it". Indeed we do! It is amazing that a band with just one EP and one album remained popular with fans for so long. But when the songs are this good, I'll happily listen to them over and over.

Favourite songs

Colombian Druglord, Volvo Drivers, Sherlock Holmes, Diplomatic Immunity, Teenage Mother, Sax Offender, Sensible Ska, Better Call the Commissioner

Worthwhile?

This is one of the most important- not to mention one of my favourite- CDs in my collection.

Various- File Under Ska

Noooo, not yet another late 1990s Australian ska CD! This compilation (tracklist here) was released in 1997, three years before File Under Ska 2.

First, a bit of history. Third-wave was the prevailing fashion of ska when this was released, and many of the songs have strong "oi-punk" influences. A few bands had commercial success or dedicated fans over many years (such as Area-7, Loin Groin and The Living End), however the majority have disappeared without a trace.

My personal highlight of this CD is the H-Block 101 songs. The band were well practiced at their Clash-esque style of gritty rock-ska, having occasionally performed under the name Jimmy Spliff and the Weedkillers. The anti-establishment original song Truth and their cover of Kiss' Naked City are both fine examples.

Speaking of covers, Area-7's "Hey Ska" is a surprising choice for the band to put on a compilation, but still a favourite song of mine. Willis' Afro's version of Sublime's "Date Rape" sticks very closely to the original but the tempo is even more frenetic and the sax adds another nice layer.

Loin Groin bring their style of funky hammond organ meets party-ska with two songs. Personally I find the verses of "Stockball" too abrupt and disjointed, but its chorus and all of "Love Beats Me Up" are examples of Loin Groin at its best. Personally, I find the experimental style of Skatter'd a bit too weird, but kudos for trying something a bit different. Willis' Afro's "Square" is also unique- possibly the only "emo-ska" song ever written! The Living End make a cameo appearance with a nice combination of rockabilly and ska.

Favourite Songs

Truth (H-Block 101), Love Beats Me Up (Loin Groin), Date Rape (Willis' Afro), Gangsters (Yeah Yeah), Naked City (H-Block 101), Hey Ska (Area-7), Out of this Game (The Living End), Boys Toys (Ringleader)

Worthwhile?

This is clearly a CD for ska tragics only... therefore I'm all over it!

Cold Chisel- Chisel

In Australia, the "pub rock" band Cold Chisel need no introduction. This 2001 release is actually the remastering of the 1998 compilation, with a few added songs thrown in.

Unfortunately for this review, I am more familiar with the original compilation than this 2001 version. While I try to judge the tracks on this release on their merits, it is very difficult to be fixated on whether the remastered or different versions on this CD are better than the original compilation (more on this later).

In addition to their success and the quality of the songwriting, the band are known for being very polarising. Firstly, the intense wailing of singer Jimmy Barnes isn't to everyone's taste. Which is fair enough. The other reason is that they attracted a stigma as a "bogan" rock band. Case in point is Khe Sanh, which should be celebrated as a rare gem which achieved incredible popularity and happens to be a wonderful piece of songwriting. But instead, class-based elitism has taken over and the song is commonly dismissed as a "bogan anthem". Ok, I'd better get off my soapbox and get on with the review now!

Despite the "pub rock" label, the piano/keyboard is the driving instrument in many of the songs, and cover territory including  rhythm'n'blues, ballads, blues, headbanging rock and occasionally reggae. Many of the songs are wonderfully structured and layered; in particular, amazing bridges are a Cold Chisel trademark.

Standing on the Outside, Star Hotel and You Got Nothing I Want have wonderfully biting lyrics, from back when pop songs were allowed to slip in some social commentary. At the other end of the lyric spectrum, there's also a decent serving of soppy ballads, including Breakfast at Sweetheart's, Choir Girl, When the War is Over and My Baby, which are well executed. My Baby is a personal favourite of mine, especially for drunken late night kareoke!

Sorry to harp on about recording quality yet again, but the re-mastering needs to be mentioned, along with the choice of live vs studio recordings. On the 1998 CD, quite a few songs were live recordings which were a bit rough around the edges but brimming with energy. Interestingly, these songs were played live at a much faster tempo than the album versions. In particular, the studio versions of Merry-Go-Round, Bow Water and Astrid Goodbye sound disappointingly clinical (ahem...lacking balls) compared to the live versions on the 1998 CD. Which is a shame, since these rollicking rhythm'n'blues songs are my favourite aspect of the band.

Star Hotel tells the tale of a protest riot surrounding the closure of a pub, which was unheard of in a usually non-violent Australia. The original version conveys this passion with screeching and distorted vocals and hammond organ. In comparison, the remastered version has been shamefully castrated, due to these "faults" being "fixed". Just as an aside, for a long time I thought the line in the lyrics: "an uncontrolled euthanasia" was actually "all the drunk youth of asia". Given the following line is "is gonna make these fools understand", I actually prefer my misheard interpretation!

In my book, Saturday Night is spoiled by overproduction, and the stripped-back cover by Grinspoon appeals to me a lot more. The Things I Love In You strikes a better balance. At the other end of the spectrum, I question whether Yakuza Girls is actually remastered, given how muddy it sounds. But I'm not complaining, the sound suits the gritty style of the song well.

Forever Now and Flame Trees are classic examples of the band's softer side, with both having wonderfully illustrative and poetic lyrics. The remastered vocals in Forever Now are a bit neutered, but the composition features some elements that are quite daring, considering that the songs was a huge pop hit.

The bridge in Flame Trees is simple yet brilliant.

Finally, this version of Khe Sanh suffers compared with the 1998 compilation for having less superfluous instruments muddying the waters. However, it remains a fantastic song, and deserving of being described as Australia's unofficial national anthem.

Favourite songs

Standing on the Outside, Rising Sun, The Things I Love in You, When the War is Over, Breakfast at Sweetheart's, My Baby, You Got Nothing I Want, Yakuza Girls, Forever Now, Flame Trees, Astrid Goodbye, Khe Sanh

Would I buy it again?

Apologies for all the waffle about recording quality, and the comparisons with the 1998 CD. As it stands, it isn't a bad CD, there are still at least 12 of my all-time favourite songs on it. I just think that the original compilation has more passionate versions of some songs. However, I wonder what I would have thought of it if I hadn't heard the 1998 CD first.

Regardless, it remains a collection of fantastic songwriting from a band that is paradoxically both hugely popular and very underrated.

Oiska- Time to Get Naked

Yet another obscure ska band from the late 90s?! Oiska were an Australian band with a dedicated local following, who were probably unheard of in the outside world.Time to get Naked is their first EP, released in 2000.

While I normally cut some slack for the recording quality of local bands who have saved up their pocket money to record a CD for their fans, however no such concession is needed here. Both live and on their recordings, Oiska are a very "tight" band, playing everything very crisply and with some great layering. However, the tuning of the horns is quite hit and miss on this CD; sometimes it's fine, other times the horns are badly out of tune with each other. Aside from this, I really like the "wholegrain" horn sound on this recording, it is far better than the plastic sound often used in third-wave ska (eg Reel Big Fish). All the instruments are well recorded, a highlight for me is the sharp and bouncy drums- both in recording and playing style.

At this stage of their career, Oiska were mainly playing instrumental songs, with many horn solos. The opening track, Front Bottom, is a great example of their creamy-smooth style and infectious ska beat. Jerk Pork Skank and Oiska (the final song) were crowd favourites, however on the CD they come across as a bit simple and uninspiring.

To show their range, Unjumpable Shrubbery includes sections of a melancholic instrumental ballad, which contrasts the fantastic bouncing rocksteady beat of Police Woman.

Favourite songs

Front Bottom, Unjumpable Shrubbery, Eugene, Police Woman

Would I buy it again?

Yeah, I'm a huge fan of Oiska's unique and instrumental-heavy style of third-wave ska.

Trojan Horns- Live

(Argh, another band so obscure that the entire internet doesn't have their cover art! Here's my crusty scan...)

The Trojan Horns (archived website here) were an Australian ska band from the early 2000s. While most ska bands of the time had strong punk/rock influences, the Trojan Horns stuck to an English 2-tone style for their version of ska.

...Which means it often isn't my cup of tea. It seems I prefer my 2-tone ska mixed with other styles, so many of these songs are too "straight down the line" for me. Also, some of the songs are interesting purely for the lyrics, with the rest of the song being merely "tolerable" accompaniment. While I'm being harsh, the recording quality is quite low-rent, as to be expected from a live recording of a local band. In particular, the drums and horns are very plastic-y sounding. On the plus side, the quieter horn parts have a nice sparseness and character to the sound.

Corn on the Cob is a highlight for me, combining some latin american influences with an interesting narrative. Also, perhaps the slower rocksteady feel is more to my liking. Although the next song blows that theory out of the water, the less said about Freestyle Reggae the better!

Bouncing is a cool cover, with much of the appeal for me being the very silly lyrics. The final song, Choices, is similar: I could take or leave the musical style, but the lyrics give this song appeal for me.

Favourite songs

Policemen, Corn on the Cob, Bouncing, Choices

Would I buy it again?

Tough question! There is certainly some kind of naive charm to it, but it's a CD I rarely listen to, so I think that probably answers the question.

The Louisville Sluggers- Time for Swingin' / Masterplan

This is the debut single from the Australian neo-swing band. While their follow up single, Hey Honey Please, took a more traditional style, this CD uses a fast-paced sound more similar to the gangster rock/swing of Royal Crown Revue, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, etc.

Time for Swingin' jumps straight into the high-energy style. The horn lines in the chorus can make it a bit stop-start, but it nicely contrasts the smoother sections of the song and despite the tempo the musicianship is wonderfully tight.

Like Hey Honey Please, the horn sound is a bit hit and miss, sometimes sounding thin. On the plus side, the balance of guitar and piano is again great, as is the overall sound. The vocals range from soft and smooth to maximum energy, and are fantastic sounding throughout.

Masterplan is one of my all-time favourite songs. In my book it's punk-swing, which somehow reminds me (and this will probably sound crazy...) of the Dead Kennedeys. Anyway, despite the breakneck pace, the verses feature intricate horn lines which are perfectly delivered. It's quite a long song, but the slow bridge breaks it up nicely. The bridge not only provides some contrast, but it also has a wonderful intensity and layering. Then the song ramps the tempo back up for a massive final chorus.

Rockford slows the tempo a bit, but the energy remains high in this "cooking" instrumental. Finally, Blow it Baby has a more relaxed feel and would be a great lounge tune if it weren't for the silly tongue-in-cheek lyrics (of which I completely approve!)

Favourite songs

Time for Swingin', Masterplan, Rockford, Blow it Baby

Would I buy it again?

Absolutely. This style of rock-swing is quite unique (only Wolfgang Parker comes to mind as having a similar style), making this EP a rare treat.

The Louisville Sluggers- Hey Honey Please

The Louisville Sluggers were one of few Australian bands to emerge during the 1990s swing revival (centred around Royal Crown Revue, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, etc). This is their 2nd EP, released in 2000.

The recording quality is very good, and special mention goes to the wonderful character of the double bass sound and that the piano can be clearly heard (unlike many recordings where it gets drowned out). A minor quibble is that the horn sound can lack bite or fullness at certain times. However, the balance between instruments is great, with the female vocals sitting on top and sounding as smooth as syrup.

The besotted and smooth style of Hey Honey Please and Well Swung works a treat, backed up by wonderfully flowing horn lines. Things get dirtier (in a good way!) for the grinding cabaret/swing style of Delores the Unstoppable, a tale of a despondent stripper. Pop the Hood is a bit twee for my liking, but as a B-side it works well enough.

Favourite songs

Hey Honey Please, Well Swung, Delores the Unstoppable

Would I buy it again?

Yes. I enjoy it as a modern execution of the classic female vocal-driven swing style.