Wicked Whiskey | Under the Gun

Self-released (2010)

By BARRY THOMPSON | September 22, 2010

3.5 Stars

As anyone with experience in the rockabilly/psychobilly industry knows, someone needs to grab most of those bands by the lapels and scream, "Oooooh, now that you're pushing middle age, you've started to appreciate the real roots of punk rock, so you dress like James Dean instead of a skinhead! But you never grew out of thinking that being a stereotype is something to be proud of, didja?! You saved enough from your job at Meineke to buy an upright?! Shove it up it your ass and pluck root notes with your intestines, you dumb-jock fuck! You suck! I bet you voted for Bush! Twice!" Of course, without exceptions, there wouldn't be rules. By embracing and executing all the best genre clichés, Boston bumpkins Wicked Whiskey have doomed themselves to perpetuate the vicious cycle by inspiring dozens of meatheads to start out-of-the-box rockabilly bands. Soon, they will share the regret of roots-inspired punks from Nick 13 to Sasquatch. On the bright side, at least Wicked Whiskey put out a super-clutch debut album. The sped-up honky-tonk destroyers and lovelorn lamentations collected on Under the Gun bear just enough of a gothic tinge to remind us that, yes, this is the devil's music.

WICKED WHISKEY [CD RELEASE] + DEATH & TAXES + THE WELCH BOYS + LENNY LASHLEY | Lily Pad, 1353 Cambridge St, Cambridge | September 24 at 9 pm | $10 | 617.492.0082 or ttthebears.com

Topics: CD Reviews , Lily Pad, CD reviews, rockabilly

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