Revenge - Titties-N-Beer (2006)

 

Cost: $2.00 

 

This is the same band that self-released the First Blood LP way back in 1987, and I was at first somewhat amused, then disappointed that all of the major problems with that first album still persist here. The main issue is how much of their material is on the hard rock side, with very little tangible metal influence in most songs, except perhaps some of the solos. There are numerous references to rocking and rolling in the lyrics, and it's clear they thought of themselves as more of a rock band. While I have no qualms with that if that's what they want to do, their old website refers to them as '80s style metal, so I don't feel bad about judging them harshly for not being particularly heavy. 

 

As on the old LP, the music comes across as overly garage-y, underproduced, and simplistic. The musicianship isn't even particularly bad, but the amateurish, uninspired songwriting leaves a lot to be desired. I'm fully aware that recordings can have a certain DIY charm, but because the music here is so rock-based, didn't find that to be the case here. I suppose a minor positive is that the raw guitar tone coupled with relatively prominent and quite rumbly bass make the music seem marginally heavier than it really is. Also as with the '87 album, I'm not a fan of the female vocals (the husband/wife team in the band trade off on lead vocal duties), as they come off as way too saccharine.

The heavier tracks are saved for the back half of the disc. "Jack the Ripper" isn't quite as heavy as I hoped based on the title, but on an album like this, I'll take what I can get. Plus, the chorus is still pretty decent. "The Wolves" was one of the heavier tracks on the first album, so I'm pleased to see it re-recorded and included here. The tempo is slower than the original, but it benefits from less over-the-top vocals and the heavier Titties-N-Beer guitar tone.

 

Although I wasn't impressed by most of the other original songs, the hard rocking simplicity works for the title track, which ends up being a fun little lewd anthem. The Wrabit, Nick Gilder, and Cheap Trick covers on the first half of the CD also come off quite well. I think the "Hot Child in the City" cover is the one place where the female vocals make sense, and the extra line they added to the end of the song certainly doesn't hurt.