Sewer Trout's (see here) 1990 10' e.p, Flawless, is pretty aptly named. Unlike the band's early work, which sometimes suffers from too many simple songs and sub-cultural in-jokes, like another funny-punk band touched by suicide, the Dead Milkmen, this one nails what it sets out to do.
Like it's predecessor, Songs About Drinking, this record's first note is a peal of laughter but from then on it's whole a different bag of milk.
These final songs still cover ludicrous subject matter from psychopathic cats named after Frida Kahlo ("...but spelled differently") to conspicuous consumption vs. Communism to K-tel punk rock nostalgia to post-millennial dispensationalism but the band bristles with a new-found confidence. The music follows suit, with harmonica breaks, country beats and strong melodies - it's all still punk rock but somehow much more too. Some of the witty, catchy highlights include the Dead-Kennedy's referencing cow-punk of "Holiday in Romania", The Frank Zappa referencing speed-folk of "Frieda Ripped my Flesh", the Jesus referencing ecumenical-rock of "God's Got Balls" and, for the final notes of their career, a straight but moving take on Patsy Cline's (via Harlan Howard) country classic "Foolin' Around".
{MRML Readers: Sewer Trout's Flawless: Yes or No? Leave us a comment!}
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Any way you can re-up the download?
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