Honchie – Deathfists Of Rage

Whoa.

Honchie’s record is one wild ride. Lots of influences here. Take Living Color, elements of Cypress Hill and then add every pop band you know. Mix it with old-school funk, all the 90’s rap-rock bands you heard ten years ago, some rockabilly, some swing… and then you might maybe be getting within proximity of the sound. The lyrics are straight out of the Chili Peppers’ weirdest moments as filtered through Bloodhound Gang and Corky & The Juice Pigs. The guys in Honchie probably roll on the floor laughing when somebody farts.

And the record itself? Well, just when you think your brain is finally settling into the rhythm of a song, away they go again in a totally different direction. The experience is to not unlike being off balance while you laugh your ass off. Either that or they’re pulling off a straight-faced send up of music in general, which probably needs a kick in the pants anyway.

Well, it worked. That animal/lizard part of my brain loved it. My inner grown-up knows I probably shouldn’t, but it seems that my inner 6-year-old just gave my inner grown-up the finger. So there.

Album opener Bitch Stole My Liquor jarringly mixes Corb Lund country with Limp Bizkit choruses (believe it), with a great Rush quote at the end. Monkey Midget goes right off the scale into silliness and repetition, and Meatseeker is an hilarious ballad in the classic 80’s style but it seems this band is unable to do anything seriously (“I’ve got the meat that you seek, baby”) and we should probably be grateful for it.

Mullet Man is a funny re-imagining of Elton John’s Rocket Man in their best attempt at the ‘Weird Al’ tradition. Rubik’s Cube is an ode to useless skills, and Mofo is a Lite FM-inspired call-out of a thief. Drunk Ted is just messed up, complete with scat-singing and a Led Zeppelin quote too. The grandeur of Asspants just made me howl.

Good Lord (as a concept). It’s endless.

I have to admit, I was pretty tired upon reaching the completion of my trip all the way through this record which, in its entirety is not for the faint of heart. But these guys would be great in mixes with other stuff, providing much needed comic relief from all of the other bands that take themselves too seriously.

Don’t be fooled by all the hijinks, though. These guys can really play. They’re just completely taking the piss while they do it.
 

Track Listing:
01 Bitch Stole My Liquor
02 Monkey Midget
03 Meatseeker
04 NASCAR Dreams
05 Mullet Man
06 Five Knuckle Shuffle
07 Rubik’s Cube
08 Surge
09 Welcome Back
10 Starflight 2000
11 Mofo
12 Greatest Lover
13 Spacegoat
14 Drunk Ted
15 Asspants
16 Retard Riot

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