Say Something Nasty

Nashville Pussy

Artemis Records, 2002

http://www.nashvillepussy.com

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 07/29/2002

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, my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 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.

Rating: C-

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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© 2002 Christopher Thelen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Artemis Records, and is used for informational purposes only.