Leatherface - Horsebox

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Free Music Notes for Horsebox

Free Music Review: A Triumphant return....
Hit: 5 Stars

The first part of their career - from about 1989 up to 1994, was just the beginning of the legend, with this new album Leatherface is quickly cementing it's hold as the premiere punk rock band going these days. Having already created what has been heralded as the best pop-punk album of all time (1991's Mush), this new record doesn't cover new territory as much as it expands on the patented sound and feel of their past efforts.

Despite some lineup changes, everything is here; the dual guitar attack, raging drums, tons of melody and Frankie N.W. Stubbs' unique voice (think Bob Mould meets Lemmy from Motorhead, seriously!). Founding members Stubbs and Andrew Laing stay true to the song writing structure and style which drew the band's previous cult status. The new members (guitarist Leighton Evans and bassist David Burdon) mesh well with the original members and even contribute songs of their own to the record which fit right into place.

The record starts off with "Sour Grapes", a shameless pop song Husker Du would have loved to have written. From there the album blazes through to a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" which, much like their cover of "Message in a Bottle" on Mush, puts the original to shame. "Lorrydriver's Son" continues with a poppy intro, followed by a heavy hook line that will be stuck in your head for days. "Ship Song", a Nick Cave cover, throws some piano into the mix, and highlights Frankie Stubbs' vocal talents while adding plenty of punch to the original. A couple songs ("Watching You Sleep" and "Soundbites") get lost in the mix - a little muddled and out of place, but the others more than make up for their inadequacies. It's the last third of the album that really shines, though - highlighted by "Kill DJ's" ("They hate the music they play... polishing turds in the name of records... I'll have to kill you"). The final song, "Box Jellyfish" wraps things up neatly with their perfect blend of "modernist pop with punk attitude".

Horsebox is an album which will please a great many people - die hard Leatherface fans and new coverts alike. This new record certainly has the feel of a conquering hero returning, and it lives up to the promise which was left unrealized after their 1994 break up.

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