Following our retro review of the second album by White Trash, we have a White Trash alum (Aaron Collins) who didn’t play on that album I reviewed, but is featured in Butterbrain, who recently released this wild and wonderful ride of an album. How is that for a confusing start? This looks to be the third full-length album by the band. Produced by Angelo Moore from Fishbone, who also appears on the album, this album showcases an eclectic mix of styles that flows together seamlessly for a very entertaining listen.

Kicking off with a spoken word type piece, ‘Armageddon’ sets the stage for the mayhem to come across the album. The poetry covers a lot of the mess the world is currently experiencing, and initially could make a first-time listener expect a harrowing song to follow in its footsteps. The twist is that we might as well go out partying instead of dwelling on the end of the world. ‘Armageddon Party’ explodes out of the speaker with a guest appearance by Moore. This is an anthem that needs to be spilling out of speakers right now. The up-tempo beat creates a party atmosphere with the fire and brimstone lyrics being completely at odds with it. The horn section helps provide a driving, urgent force to the song. The spoken word near the end of the song reminds me of the Dwarves before an explosion brings it to an end. The song brings splashes of the 90’s but in a fresh contemporary way. Changing direction with the ska flavoured ‘Roots,’ Sally May (also alto sax) takes lead vocals with Moore providing back-up vocals and drums. If your body is not moving to the beat, you should make sure there is not a tag on your toe because apparently your heart’s not pumping. Sometimes songs just have a way of automatically producing a smile on a listener’s face, with this being a great example.

Over the first three tracks, the band have really set the stage to go anywhere they want musically. ‘Halfway to Jupiter’ continues in a ska direction with May providing more lead vocals. The horns jump out in the mix and steer the song forward. Lyrically, the band explores a breakup in a unique way that feels natural and uncontrived. I really enjoy how there is a vocal touch in the song where the lyrics are being sung in a round. The mix allows each of the competing lines to be clearly heard. ‘Hold Tight’ turns up the rock and feels more influenced by the likes of Motorhead’s commercial side musically. Guitars rule the day here, with each vocalist in the band getting their own verse to voice their frustrations. The chorus is catchy and straightforward. This song initially didn’t stand out as much to me, but it fits perfectly within the album and has been getting more and more plays from me. Butterbrain again refuses to be pigeon-holed into just a few genres, so they add some rocking Latin-inspired beats and horns to deliver another great song in ‘Pressure.’ The chorus is catchy and simple, with the real hook for me being the musical motif.

After a plethora of sounds across the first half of the album, the band have really placed no restrictions on expectations of what could follow across the rest of the album. With that in mind, the pop punk approach to ‘Altarboy’ is not a surprise but a welcome addition to the album. Similar to ‘Hold Tight,’ this was another song that didn’t impact me as much initially as it does now. The sax solo by Moore is an awesome addition to the song and gives it a little bit of a ’70s era glam influence. While Collins handled the apocalyptic-fueled initial poetry/ spoken word style piece at the beginning of the album, Moore provides one here called ‘Hateless Love’ that feels more upbeat. Both pieces are backed up musically in ways I could expect from something like Warrior Soul’s ‘Chill Pill’ album. ‘Sunnyside Up’ feels like the sun is rising, which falls right in line with the lyrics. Musically, the band verge into another style with a song that could fit seamlessly on late 60’s or early 70’s rock radio. I hear elements of the Beatles in some of the vocals. Across the album, the band inspire and mandates that the listener feel the songs in their soul and move to the beat, with this being no exception.

One of my favourites when I first heard the album was ‘Jailbreak,’ and that has not changed at all. Largely instrumental with some chants of ‘Jailbreak’ thrown in for the crowd to sing. This really feels like it could have been released in the 50s and been a huge hit. What’s remarkable with that in mind is that the song still feels fresh. Closing out the album is the one-two punch Bad Brains’ cover combination of ‘Introduction’ and ‘I Against I.’ On an album where the band has covered so much ground musically, this closes the album in style and power. The raw emotions of the players can be felt through the speakers.

I highlighted a few members throughout, but this album gels because of the band, so let me expand on the players. Aaron Collins handles a lot of vocals as well as bass and keyboards. He is one of the key songwriters in the band, who apparently has a diverse internal radio (to borrow a title from Ginger Wildheart). Brendan Stiles provides some lead and backing vocals while also playing the trumpet and being part of a horn section that includes the previously mentioned May, plus Rob Miller (tenor sax), and Benjamin Clapp (trombone). Mike Caldarella handles most of the drums as well as percussion, with Jay Nicholas also playing some bass and percussion.  With Moore also contributing across the album, it would have been easy to have too many ingredients in the mix, but everything fits perfectly together and never feels cluttered.

I wrote different conclusions to this review, trying to explain what I see in my head when I play this album, but I think sometimes it is easier to keep it simple. ‘Armageddon Party’ is a largely fun album, even when it tells us the world is exploding. These songs should be getting regular airplay on the internet and satellite radio. If you are a Fishbone fan, you not only have their latest album from this year but also Moore’s appearances here. These 12 songs don’t waste a second across the album’s 35 minutes runtime. It has immediately found a spot in my rotation and will likely remain there for quite a while. I recommend checking this one out soon. 

‘Armageddon Party’ is available now.

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Author: Gerald Stansbury

For those of us that remember the transition from the 80’s to the 90’s, music went through a dramatic transformation that was not quite as overnight as we might remember. Yes, the video for ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ represents the transformation, but the changes were already slowly happening. I would point to bands like Jane’s Addiction who were already releasing ‘Ritual de lo Habitual’ in 1990 as one of the key transition bands that set the stage for what was coming, but they were not the only one. Mother Love Bone had released ‘Shine’ and was due to release their full-length debut ‘Apple’ in March 1990. Soundgarden and Faith No More were touring with Voivod. So-called ‘hair metal’ was still selling albums, but it seemed there were fewer bands in that genre selling huge numbers of albums or breaking into the mainstream. Albums like ‘Rust in Peace’ and ‘Seasons in the Abyss’ were driving the thrash genre while Pantera completed their transformation to the ‘Cowboys from Hell.’ With all the changes taking place, there were bands that just did not fit in with a designated genre, such as the funky hard rocking White Trash. They released their self-titled debut album around the same time as label mates Metallica released their Black Album, which a few people have bought over the years. Their debut also then had all the other key albums released in the late summer/ early fall of 1991- ‘Nevermind,’ ‘Ten,’ ‘Badmotorfinger,’ and the ‘Use Your Illusion’ albums to name a few. Given all that, it was amazing that MTV played White Trash’s video at all, but I remember it getting a decent number of plays. Their debut album became one of my favorite albums as it really stood apart from its peers with things like a full horn section and some rather unique lyrics. Unfortunately, it would be almost three years before this second full-length album would see the light of day, and commercial music would be moving into the monster sales of Green Day and the Offspring.

White Trash also went through an overhaul of members which at the time gave us the promise of two bands with Hash rising from the former White Trash rhythm section. At the time, neither album grabbed me the way the debut had, and they both struggled for spins in the CD player. The horn section was no longer part of White Trash which was one of my favorite aspects of the band. The years have been kind to both albums that followed though. ‘Si O Si, Que?’ may look like a title you would expect from one of the last band’s trying to get a deal on the Sunset Strip, but the music continued to forge a path similar to their debut with a focus on funky hard rock that deserved to be heard on the radio. The song destined for mass radio play was never released as a single, and the band would fade away for awhile before coming back with more albums. This second album though deserves another look through the eyes of today and what happened after it was released.

I mentioned earlier the band’s unique lyrics which has been a staple of the band. It will reveal itself as we run through the songs and song titles, such as opening song ‘6 Toe Sid.’ A funky engaging guitar riff sets the stage for Dave Alvin’s vocals to cut through the mix. There is not much room in the mix as the song quickly gets into a catchy chorus, and there isn’t really a reprieve before we are into the second verse and back to the chorus. The guitar riffs pop out of the speaker. Musically, the bridge and guitar solo are reminiscent of Mother Love Bone on their ‘Shine’ EP. With the amount of vocals in the song, the pace is frenetic. Through the years, the song has connected with me in ways it didn’t when I first heard it all those years ago. The transition into ‘Got to Get Away’ is quick with a quick riff once again giving way to the first verse. The chorus here is more immediate and the funky rhythm is also addictive. I remember when this was new to me this was one of the songs where I really missed the full horn section. It sounds like there are little pieces in places at the very back of the mix.

‘Minor Happiness’ was one of the singles from the album and came out at the end of 1993 if I remember correctly. The pace here is slowed down with Alvin’s vocals getting more of a showcase in the verses where there is a lot less happening. When I first heard this song, I liked it, but I was not blown away by it. Over time, it has become a favorite over the years though with excellent guitar work and the rhythm section laying down a cool groove. If this song had hit at radio, people would have been looking for a song called ‘One Sunny Day’ instead of the actual title though due to the chorus. The band stays in a groove with ‘Young Zombies in Lust.’ Alvin’s screaming vocals in parts here were not something I enjoyed three decades ago but like them much more now. That might be a reflection of all the different kinds of screams and yelling we get today. The guitar solo by Craig LeBlang (I believe) works perfectly. If I was doing A & R back in the day for the band, I would have probably been telling them to make the vocal hook the name of the song, which would have probably just made the band mad. As a listener, I don’t care as the songs have become ingrained in me over the years. They don’t always avoid it though. ‘Senorita’ provides an immediate earworm with the song’s title featured in the chorus. This would have been one of the songs I would have picked as a single, maybe the lead single. LeBlang’s guitar is all over the song. I mentioned the mix earlier and cannot commend Mark Dearnley enough. On paper, it looks like it should be fairly simple with the band being a four piece at this time. The amount of interplay between the members though where every instrument and voice demand to be heard at times is represented in brilliant ways where the ‘wah wah’ from the guitar can still be heard between the bass and the drums. Some of these songs could have sounded like a bowl of mushy soup, but there is clarity and punch to it instead. Production on the majority of the album was handled by the brilliant Daniel Rey.

Eric Brodin’s bass gets the isolation to start on ‘Electric Messiah/ Leather Priest which I believe was the end of side one on the cassette. It has been a while since I played the album on that format though. It may sound like a Zodiac Mindwarp title, but it is another funky groover with a slower pace. At six minutes, the song still feels a bit long without a great hook to really bring the song home. The rapid charge at the end is fun, but it feels like a lot of work every time to get to it. ‘St. Moondog’ rectifies things with a great riff and beat that does not rush itself. Alvin’s vocals are more impactful in the first verse by being a little slower and smoother in tone. He still gets a little out there in parts of the song, but his mix of styles hits perfect. This is another of my favorite songs from the album and would have lent itself to the single treatment back in the day. Speaking of singles, ‘Pig’ was the other single released at the end of 1993 with ‘Minor Happiness.’ It served as the opposite approach of the slower easy going single with crunchy guitar and shouted chorus. I cannot imagine a radio station playing this without the band already establishing a demand from listeners for their songs to be played. I really enjoy the song, but it has slipped compared to other songs here.

I mentioned at the beginning there was a song on here that should have been a monster hit. When I first listened to the album three decades ago, this was my favorite song on the album, and that has never changed. I don’t want to call it a ballad as I see it more of a softer rocker. ‘Come Tuesday’ rolls smoothly out of the speaker with Alvin’s vocals being as smooth as the opening guitar. Subject wise, the song details the relationship between a character on a TV show and the singer. I cannot remember what was on Tuesday nights back in the day when this would have been written. The chorus here is a monster that demands everyone to sing along with it. With the mix of what was on the radio at this time, this song should have been a radio staple that we would probably all hate now from it being overplayed over the years. Dave Barckow’s drum work has been referenced in parts, and this song is no exception. He shows restraint here when needed and also adds in great elements when the song explodes through the guitar solo. ‘Catalepsy’ has always struggled in the aftermath of the previous song. It has grown over the years though through multiple plays. The up-tempo groove and mix again showcases how tight the band is playing together, and the guitar riff is really cool.

Approaching the final trio on the album, ’21 Club’ feels like a funky rocking dance song with a chorus that reminds me a bit of ‘Apple Pie’ from their debut. There are again some horns deep in the mix here, but the focus remains on the guitar, bass, and drums. ‘The Voyeur’ feels like a song trying to break out of a safe. The angular beat containing power while the song feels off kilter at times. The echo at the end fits perfectly. Closer ‘Find Me Somebody’ ends the album on a high point. It is catchy and rocking with a chorus featuring excellent engaging vocals. This is one of the times where the band makes the hook in the song the name of the song. The breakdown at the end of the song allows everyone else a chance to shine before we start back at the beginning and replay the album.

All these years later, White Trash have retained fans even when they are not active. Last year, they released a compilation of unreleased songs and mixes called ‘C.O.C.K. in a Box” that quickly sold out. The name of the band has created some issues on social media platforms and getting people’s accounts restricted. I don’t think anyone could have anticipated that 40 years ago when the band first formed. It is safe to say that the band will not be lining their walls with platinum albums all these years later, but the songs to do it were there on both of their first two albums. Their debut album probably would have done well if it had been released six months sooner before that 41-day window when the albums I mentioned at the top were released. Looking back now, it would have been interesting to see how an Ugly Kid Joe/ White Trash tour would have worked before this album was released. Both bands were outliers who did their own thing (musically and lyrically) and would have made sense to tour together. Both their debut and this album are available from secondhand sellers and the likes of iTunes.

‘Si O Si, Que’ has been waiting on you to purchase it for 31 years.

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Author: Gerald Stansbury