Search - Nip Drivers :: Oh Blessed Freak Show

I am not an animal, I am a human being!

B-Movie Nightmares | Sparks, NV United States | 03/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Totally great fast early 80's SoCal hardcore. It's got its poppy moments at times, but I guess I would compare it to a thrashier "Group-Sex" era Circle Jerks? It also has that slight metal influence that reminded me of the "Nardcore" bands like RKL and Batallion of Saints. This CD contains the Destroy Whitey EP (tracks 1-9), the Oh Blessed Freak Show LP (10-25), two live songs, and a cover of Sweet's 70's glam-rock anthem "Fox on the Run" from the Desperate Teenage Lovedolls soundtrack. Politically incorrect, offensive lyrics but that's what a lot of the early punk bands did--offend for shock value and irreverent laughs! Get over it. I would not hesitate to recommend this release to anyone who loves fast early punk/hardcore. There's a balls-out cover of Duran Duran's "Rio" that's over before you know it, and it rips off the intro from Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown!" HAHAHAHA Other highlights include "Elephant Man" with the immortal lyric "I'm not even David Bowie," an ode to the drink Tang, and an acid-trip song called "Bad Trip" with a really disturbing (yet somehow funny) intro. The country/hardcore blend "Hick in the Movie" is hilarious as well: "Hick in the movie that saw the flying saucer" and it ends with the singer drawling in a hick voice, "It was a big, round cigar-shaped object!" There's a couple throwaway tracks near the end, but with this many songs it's hard to go wrong.What makes this CD work musically is the insane, tight drumming. It's usually quite fast, but even during the mid-tempo parts, the drummer is constantly doing little rolls and fills that really adds to the sound. I'm not sure exactly where this band was from other than the L.A. area, but boy were they underappreciated. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. P.S. The track listing is inaccurate. There's 27 tracks, not 28 since both live songs are on track 26. Also the first live song is "Dog and a Cow," not "Hick in the Movie.""

WHO CAN FORGET?

NATON | Washington, DC | 07/25/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"THE GLORY DAYS OF ROCK N'ROLL CAN BE HEARD AGAIN."