BAD LIEUTENANTS cd review
Every Time I Come Around
The Bad Lieutenants are named after a wonderful movie from the late eighties, I believe, an early movie of great actor Harvey Keitel. Too much to explain here but I’d say the movie balances on a tightrope between exploitative trash and high art. I wouldn’t try to make that claim with this band I’ll just say I’ve enjoyed the movie as I’ve also enjoyed this band.
This musical combo often plays punk shows but I see this band more as a high energy rock band with good, funny lyrics. They remind me, in approach, of bands like The Dictators or Reverend Horton Heat but I also link them, in my mind, to punk bands like Fear and The Angry Samoans. These are all fine references in case you needed me to draw a fucking map!
Sure these guys go for the hardcore, thrashy rhythms at times but it’s mostly in the words that they sound most punk. I find the lyrics to “Jesus On The Phone” to be my favorite. It’s a song giving a more personal side of Jesus- I got Jesus on the phone/He says he’s drunk and all alone/ He’d like to come over haven’t seen him in awhile/ Never seen him smile of even crack a smirk/ Had some trouble in the South/ Shot a man for something he didn’t do. Jesus also been- Spinning round and round/ Back and forth again/ Knows his right from his left and his coke from his heroin. Maybe these folks would tell me to go to hell but I take this, my favorite song on the cd, as a seriously great song.
I like “Little Hitler”- I really miss her/ She’s a pisser/ I wanna kiss her/ She left me sittin’ on her porch like a bag of burnin’ shit/ Little Hitler/ Don’t wanna diss her/ Please don’t dismiss her/ My Little Hitler. How about “AA Meeting”- I’m Brian/ I’m an alcoholic/ Hey Brian/ How ya doin’? Repeated over and over while an amiable lick plays until a chorus of – Well, I just bought myself a 12-pack of Schaefer and I will drink it now so you won’t drink it later. “Midnight Beefcakes” has lyrics that I’m sure got the Disney seal of disapproval.
Favorite tunes include “Billy Smith” with its 7/8 verse, it’s the best song to do this since “Barracuda” by Heart. “Fuckers” is a pretty nifty tune; most of the songs have infectious melodies but none that would cause an unseemly rash.
I don’t know, you know, they printed the lyrics in the cd, I’m a word man so just like a “tit man” is sold without seeing the face, I just have to fling myself at the mercy of the court. I did listen before reading the lyrics, at least. And the music is just as good.
These Bad Lieutenants seek to set out what is a crime in life and society and correct it using music. We know that crime doesn’t pay unless, of course, you’re on the side of law enforcement. And it does on the side of musical debauchery it would seem as well. Give your ears to the aural handcuffs these protectors of society provide. Ooooh, police brutality never felt much better!
(Slimedog)