Word: punk
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...Rock is named for Ellie Mae's suitor on "The Beverly Hillbillies." Its song-writers, guitarist Bill Davis and drummer Fred LeBlanc, compose love ballads, songs of graveyards and whiskey, and ominous-sounding instrumentals with equal facility. Their music mixes seemingly incompatible styles: Louisiana country music, rockabilly, and thrash-punk...
This monstrous synthesis comes to life on such creations as "DMZ." Davis sings in a Louisiana drawl about a dangerous neighborhood, while LeBlanc and bassist Ned "Hoaky" Hickel shout punk-style, "DMZ! DMZ!" Hickel's rockabilly bass thrums up and down the scale, while LeBlanc pounds violently and Davis' guitar screeches. The combination is hilarious but effective; it makes you want to get up and stomp, perhaps on a small animal...
Still, most of the songs are colored by the country twang of Davis' guitar and voice and the punk insistence of the rhythm. Like William Faulkner, Dash Rip Rock seems ambivalent about its southern roots, but that ambivalence makes its art richer. Plus, Dash Rip Rock must be a killer live band, but until it comes to the Northeast to play--and thereby to incite riots--Dash Rip Rock will suffice as a substitute...
...tracks here are those on which pop and punk co-exist as equal partners. "I Don't Wanna" has the most easily discernable melody of any of the songs, carried by lead singer Evan Dando and a nifty bass line. The guitars on "I Don't Wanna" are used more for texture than anything else, and the whole conglomeration reminds you of Moving Targets' approach...
...there is a serious problem with Lemonheads, it is that their approach is too straightforward and panders to too many established punk cliches. Their cover of "Amazing Grace" is yet another example of a disaffected group of young people defecating on a classic. Like Sid Vicious' rendition of "My Way," this tune is good for only a few minor chuckles before it gets shelved. Similarly, the straight thrash of "Rat Velvet" and "Sneakyville" is loud but ultimately generic...