Published on Jul 29, 2002
Nashville Pussy seems to want to become the next generation of
raunch-n-roll, providing the kind of rock that has made AC/DC’s
career. Having seen them in concert when they opened up for
Motorhead a few years ago, I can vouch that the band has a solid
live presence.
So why does their latest disc,
Say Something Nasty, leave me feeling unfulfilled? Maybe
it’s because Blaine Cartwright and crew start to take themselves a
little too seriously here. Maybe it’s because the songwriting just
isn’t up to snuff, leaving little room for the musicianship to come
through. Or maybe the “shock rock” formula (and I apply the term
loosely here, obviously not referring to the style of music a la
Alice Cooper) of raw sex is as flat as a bottle of soda pop left
open in the afternoon sun.
Make no mistake, there is some good musicianship here. Once you
get past the slow buildup on the title track, the band does indeed
gel together and pulls out a solid performance. Likewise, lead
guitarist Ruyter Suys shows she’s quite capable on the six-string,
evidenced by her solo work on “Let’s Get The Hell Outta Here” and
the instrumental “Outro”.
But the reliance on a more primitive side of songwriting is what
eventually sinks
Say Something Nasty. Granted, I’m no prude. But one has to
wonder how seriously Cartwright and crew take some of this stuff.
Case in point: the charmingly named “Keep On Fuckin’,” with the tag
line, “Even a dog can understand it.” Geez, even Ted Nugent wasn’t
this blunt.
In the end, though, it is the weak songwriting that does in
Say Something Nasty. Tracks like “You Give Drugs A Bad
Name,” “Gonna Hitchhike Down To Cincinnati And Kick The Shit Outta
Your Drunk Daddy” and “Can’t Get Rid Of It” fail to live up to
their potential – something which this band most definitely has.
Possibly they’re the kind of group who really only show their
brilliance on the stage – something so many bands can relate
to.
In summary, if I took the album title to heart, then it’s my
turn to
Say Something Nasty – and that would be this: This is not a
great album.