There's one particularly selfish fear that creeps around inside my brain. It's a fear about music, naturally enough. You may think about it too sometimes. It's the itching anxiety that a band you really dig is going to release a follow-up album that just doesn't cut it. It's a pretty legitimate premise, as you can probably name countless bands that seem uncannily unable to release two solid records in a row. Now, when I opened my mail and saw the new Swingin' Utters CD, I was frightfully excited. Could this spiffy looking, self-titled CD possibly top one of the best CDs of the '90s, the Utters' Five Lessons Learned? Could these San Francisco punk stalwarts live up to everything I'd told my friends about them?
Surprisingly enough, there are two distinct personalities discernible on this release. Like clockwork, opening track "Pills & Smoke" lets loose a volley of familiar, quick-paced guitar chords that combine the Utters' patented lethal punch of muted riffs and Johnny Bonnel's raspy vocals, spilling out tales of teenage angst and suburban illegalities. "Taken Train" and "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" are near impeccable punk 'n' roll gems that provide musical escapism with a punk parachute. Guitarist Darius Koski's well-written lyrics switch between personal recollections and surreal punk rock visualizations. Ultimately, there's still a supercharged core of energy that will bathe you in testosterone-soaked glory.
The second half of the CD reveals another side of the Utters. It illustrates an underground penchant for those things especially un-punk rock -- primarily a bizarre mutation of country. Hold on to your saddle there, as this isn't a collapse into tear-jerking twang. Instead, our quintet experiments with pedal steel and mandolin, adding the standard fare of Swingin' Utters swagger that's on the edge of fucking brilliant. This odd combination was hinted at on Five Lessons Learned and is explored to its fullest here, with great success. "Watching the Wayfarers" dauntingly dances a devilish twist while "The Green Glass" has a whimsical, gut-wrenching approach that's both surly and skillful.
Throw in a cover of "Eddie's Teddy" (from the Rocky Horror Picture Show) that gives the original a good run for its money, and you've got the near impossible: an assembly of tracks that can stand with the band’s previous work of genius! It doesn't take a detective to figure out that this quintet hasn't just spent a fair amount of time honing its musical chops; they're almost a machine of quality tunes, as track after track shows innovative mutations of the distinctive Utters’ sound -- forward looking and unafraid to utilize the band's unique sound. If the thought of punk makes you puke, let this pack of San Franciscans introduce you to a higher level that'll jog your senses and tantalize your brain. Once again, the Utters deliver a charming bit of genre-defying music that’s a salient expression of the endless possibilities of guitar-driven rock.
