The National Rifle

Man Full of Trouble
By Mike Delano

Ever wish Trent Reznor would abandon the whole industrial thing and spit lyrics over some spazzy saxophone? That may seem like a nightmare, but for the duration of “I Think I Have a Tumor,” The National Rifle‘s vocalist Hugh does his best throat-shredding Reznor howl while (apparently) trapped in a room with The Slits and X-Ray Spex’s blower Lora Logic. If you’re not already screaming for the exit, there’s some fun to be had in the gonzo approach of the Man Full of Trouble EP. The band rides Primus’ bouncy bass lines and eclectic style ably, but on these tracks, they rarely come up with any songs nearly as memorable as the sheer audacity of their patchwork sound.
(www.thenationalrifle.com)