FEATURED REVIEW.............................................................10 OCT 2005
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Artist:
THE FARMERS |
It's been a decade since the inimitable Country Dick Montana checked out, and The Farmers (sans the "Beat") are back with their first new material in ten years. The current lineup features founding Farmers Jerry Raney (vocals, guitar) Buddy Blue (vocals, guitar) and Rolle Love (bass), whose last album together was the cowpunk classic Tales of the New West in 1985. The three old hands are joined on this outing by journeyman drummer Joel “Bongo” Kmak.
While Loaded might not be a contender for alt.country album of the year, there is plenty here to please the Farmer faithful. From the opening salvo, it is apparent that the boys haven't gone soft. (Or not entirely soft, in any event. The album does include one certifiable cheeze-squeezer entitled "Watching the River": "Did you tell your wife that you love her? / Did you tell your kid the same? / Did you hold them in your arms with all your brawn?" Like "moist" and "meaty," "brawn" is a word songwriters would do well to avoid.)
For the most part however, The Farmers deliver a solid set, mixing hard-driving rock with roadhouse country and even throwing in a few swamp-tinged numbers for good measure.
The patented Beat Farmer silliness is here, too--and in buckets--from "Uncle Stinky" (a song about an old fart) to "Sunbeam Lake" (featuring "the Lake Ness monster and kids they use for bait / the giant bats and lizards flying up from hell") to "Beans 'n' Weanies" (Uncle Stinky's favorite food, apparently) to "What Would Skalman Do?" (which opens with the sound of someone, shall we say, making water). The tinkle is followed with a comment or two on the current state of alternative country music, and here, it would appear, it's the ever-prolific Ryan Adams who gets Calvin-ized:
"Then the
subject turns to music, and you love Junior Brown,
But she thinks Ryan Adams is the hottest act around."
What would Skalman do? How would he see it through?
Would he damn it all, and punch a wall, turn seven shades of blue?
What would Skalman say? Would he let it ruin his day?
Or would he bravely carry on, and straighten his toupee?"
In summation: A solid reunion record. Here's hoping they mount a nationwide tour. Two-and-a-half cheezeballs for the offbeat humor (sometimes too much is just too much) and that damn "brawn" song.
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A NOTE ON THE RATING SYSTEM:
5 CHEEZEBALLS = UNLISTENABLE SCHLOCK
3 CHEEZEBALLS = A DIFFICULT SLOG
1 CHEEZEBALL = THE ODD FORGIVABLE MISSTEP
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