It’s said there’s nothing new in rock and roll but sometimes it doesn’t matter a damn. Welsh trash punkers The Sick Livers do Turbonegro better than Turbonegro on their newest album, “Mid Liver Crisis”.
The Welsh are famous for their coal mines and given appropriate volume, the 10 tracks here would kill a canary quicker than a mineshaft full of methane. The Sick Livers sing anthems about drinking, fucking and staring into the abyss with a large chaser of dark humour.
There are no massed male choirs on “Mid Liver Crisis”, only the odd “woo-ooh” chorus rising behind buzzbomb guitars and the nagging vocal of frontman Ginge. If the last album, “Motors, Women, Drugs, Booze & Killing”, was in your face then “Mid Liver…” ups the ante in terms of violation of personal space. The engine rooim kicks harder than a pint glass full of port the morning after a seriously pissy Saturday night.
“This Is My Denim” sets the tone with a Hankesque spoken word intro and lyrics about individualism in dress codes, or the lack thereof. “I Need Nurse” reeks of man flu and an appeal for sympathy with a carnal motive while “Sorry, Thank You, Fuck You” sends a clear message, with a nod to Stiv, Joey and Iggy along the way. It’s all about the guitars but there’s some keyboard colouring on a few songs that does no harm at all.
Lilting melodies aren’t their strong suit but The Sick Livers know the value of a singalong all too well. “Perfect Fucking Nothing” sure hits that mark while “Dark Dangerous & Delicious” shows they know how to use dynamics.These guys must be a riot, live.
“Smell of Elvis” is a clever de-composition and as infectious as anything you’ll catch from the late King’s Graceland toilet seat. Subtlety falls away quicker than a nymphomaniac’s underwear on “You Make Me Wet” but if you expected anything different you came to the wrong place. It also features a rare guitar solo. That’s not to say The Sick Livers songs all sound the same. They just love economy.
1/4
