The Reverend Horton Heat
Liquor in the Front (Interscope)
by Paul Lee
Hey y’all. The Reverend Horton Heat has returned to spout his sacrilegious and Dionysian message to corrupt us, the innocent and righteous people of the world. This cat has gone so far as to use that profane rock-a-billy/punk to hammer his evil chords into our innocent heads. The Reverend Horton Heat has unleashed Liquor in the Front (Interscope) upon us and it seems he intends to turn us all away from our God-fearin’ paths and put us on the road to a sinful and entertainin’ hell.
This is the Rev’s second release from those vile sinners at Sub Pop and he continues his dastardly ways with such upbeat, twangy guitar songs as “Cruisin’ For a Bruisin” and the country-hell overtones of “Liquor, Beer and Wine.” Hey, this ain’t stuff to stimulate your cerebral cortex, it’s sonic sugar to let your worries and good taste slide away. This is blatant and obnoxious fun and don’t you ferget it, y’all. To hell with political correctitude, may it burn a fiery death!!!
The Reverend is aided by two sinner/henchmen who provide the evil rhythmic blast. One is the hulking drummer, Patrick “Taz” Bentley and on bass, the ever sinful greaser known as Jimbo Wallace. This trio of tackiness knows how to rustle up a good time. The Reverend makes me want to grab a huge ’65 convertible Caddy, roar down a strip with sleazy stores and shout rude comments to beautiful chicks with Heat’s tunes blaring at 150 decibels. This is what playing real rock ‘n roll is all about; letting loose like a hound dog in heat while wailing away on the instruments and singing ’bout babes, cool cars, and getting wasted.
If you folks want angry, ire-infested metalli-punk madness, then forget the Rev. and his crew. But, if you want to boogie and toss some cold ones back while toking on a spleef, then you may just see the light. What more could you want from stuff like “Five-O Ford” and “Baddest of the Bad?” And by the way, that good ‘ole boy Al Jorgensen of Ministry infamy produced Liquor in the Front. Remember, The Reverend Horton Heat and his minions are out for one thing; to spread the word of free wheelin’ fun ‘n frolicin’. Just pop him in the deck and let go.
