In 1986 Jerry Jerry and his ever-changing Sons of Rhythm Orchestra emigrated from Edmonton, Alberta to Montreal, Quebec. The band moved from Og Records, to the Doughboys' 1st home, Piepline Records before settling on their final label, Aquarius Records (home of great Can-Crap from April Wine to Corey Hart to Sum 41).
For Battle Hymn of the Apartment (1987) Jerry found his definitive band, with Paul Soulodre (guitar,vocals) George Wall (guitar,vocals) Duke Bronfman (drum, vocals), future Asexual Blake Cheetah (bass), not to mention backing horns, keyboard and a vocal trio.
As the credits suggest there are layers and layers of vocals here and all those voices underpin Jerry's role as the leader of a strange midnight choir. For proof of how this ensemble feeds Jerry's "Pusher for Jesus" personae - give this track a listen.
(art by Matt Wagner from his series Grendel)
On this album Jerry Jerry really claims his voice and that voice is a whiskey-and-cigarette soaked baritone that fires off venomous sermons. The Sons of Rhythm Orchestra are a super-tight unit that propel Jerry, turning his gospel and R n' B pastiches into torn flesh and dripping blood rockers.
Tracklist
A1 Runaway Lane
A2 Bad Luck At Tulane
A3 Pushin' For Jesus
A4 Free Love
A5 She's Been Used
A6 Hurtin' Her Won't Make You A Man
A7 The Mexican In Me
B1 The Hard Way
B2 In The Hands Of The Lord
B3 Wazoo
B4 Mistaken
B5 Downhearted
B6 The Drift
MRML Readers weigh in with a comment: is this Jerry's master work?
JERRY'S STILL ALIVE
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Give us 'yer take on this mighty work by Jerry and his SRO: http://www26.zippyshare.com/v/78943157/file.html
ReplyDeleteWhen I first for this one, I didn't like it as much as Road Gore: not as funny, a bit slick, and what the heck are these songs even about? Grew to love it. Wish this lineup of the band had stuck together longer, but it's a tough old business.
ReplyDeleteProbably their best. Runaway Lane, Bad Luck at Tulane, Pushin' For Jesus, and In The Hands of The Lord are all pretty spectacular tracks. I still have a soft spot for "Don't Mind If I Do" - even though anyone who thinks "Battle Hymn" sounds slick will projectile vomit when they hear the mix on that one.
ReplyDeleteWho were those guys in the Runaway Lane video?
ReplyDeleteIncredible!! I'm ashamed to say I never heard of these guys and I've owned an indie record store since 1981. Thanks for a great find.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I really have to finish my blog on those issues of Grendel...
ReplyDelete