Published on Apr 9, 1998
Get the gin out of the freezer. Grab a deck of cards and a
cigar. And make sure the tonic isn’t flat. The Reverend Horton Heat
have a new album.
Their latest,
Space Heater is much like their previous albums. Flashy
women, songs about couch-hoarding bums and prasises to public
drunkedness are all over
Space Heater. It’s probably the most rock-oriented album
they’ve released, but much of their traditional psychobilly sound
is there.
Those psychobilly elements have been toned down slightly,
however. Jim “Reverend” Horton Heath’s guitar playing stretches
more notes and allows more dynamics to show. But in “Jimbo Song”,
their old selves are still there. That song will guarantee a mosh
pit frenzy in most venues.
The energy in
Space Heater seems more contrived than their previous
releases. That may be because their old albums were produced by
mavericks. Ministry’s Al Jourgenson and the Butthole Surfers Gibby
Haynes have sat behind the control booths and unleased the energy
the Reverend show in their borderline religous live shows.
Space Heater could have used them or even Mojo Nixon as a
producer. Unfortunately, they got Ed Stasium to produce it.
Any rumours that Stasium is guilty of over-producing are
confirmed on
Space Heater. “Baby I’m Drunk” and “Couch Surfin'” have
enough humor in them to stand Stasium’s polish. “Native Tongue of
Love” and “Mi Amor” aren’t as lucky.
Given, most of the flaws on
Space Heater are non-existant when they are on stage. There,
the cheap beer and KFC white trash luster of the Reverend proudly
shine.
Sadly though, there’s not enough of those moments on
Space Heater. It lacks the cohesive feel of
It’s Martini Time and
The Full-Custom Gospel Sounds of The Reverend Horton Heat.
Bassist Jim Wallace just seems more unleased on those two
efforts.
Is the Reverend mood music? You betcha. Perfect for playing
cards or Nintendo 64 wrestling with three other friends to. And
Space Heater does the job when it comes to attaining the
Reverend sound. But, will you miss it if another Reverend album is
in your player? Probably not.