Presented by Joecephus and The George Jonestown Massacre
2016 – Saustex Records
By Phillip Smith; Aug. 27, 2016
Tribute albums may come and
go, but Mutants of the Monster – A Tribute
to Black Oak Arkansas is one special album not to be glossed over. I’ve
been anxiously awaiting this fabulous record for quite a while, and am pleased
as punch to hear. I’ve been soaking up
its goodness for a week now, and grin like a possum for the duration of every
listen. Six years in the making, Mutants of the Monster started out as a labor
of love of BOA by Joey Killingsworth (Jocephus & The George Jonestown
Massacre). He recorded “Fever in My Mind” with the GJM and BOA’s Jim “Dandy” Mangrum on vocals. Shortly
afterward, Killingsworth enlisted Shooter Jennings to record vocals for “Hot
Rod”, another BOA track GJM had recorded. Then Bob’s your uncle - and six years later
we have Mutants of the Monster, a ferocious
seventeen track album of Black Oak
Arkansas covers, with a slew of terrific guest musicians and vocalists.
When I first heard “Hey Y’all”
roll out at the top of the album with Nashville
Pussy’s Blaine Cartwright and Ruyter
Suys , chills shot up and down my spine, with the realization this is going
to be one bodacious and serious salute to one of the best American bands that
rolled out in the Seventies. Jimbo
Mathus belts out a rollicking “Uncle Lijah” with Robby Turner (Sturgill Simpson) laying down a thick coating of lush
steel guitar. Shooter Jennings rips it up on “Hot Rod” with a downright amazing
performance backed by a cool-as-hell performance by GJM’s drummer Daryl Stevens.
I can’t help but fall prey to the groove of “Swimming in Quicksand”. I love the blasts of sax from Nik Turner (Hawkwind) on this favorite which JD Pinkus from Butthole
Surfers masters the vocals on. Bill Davis (Dash Rip Rock) unleashes a racing
punk performance on “Short Life Line” for a pure adrenalin rush. With Jeff
Clayton (AntiSeen) on the mic
and Paul Leary (Butthole Surfers) wailing on guitar, “Lord Have Mercy On My Soul” sounds
so damn good. This is one of my favorite
cuts. For an unexpected treat, Jello Biafra from my favorite US punk
band, The Dead Kennedys brings his
unique vocal style to “Jim Dandy” while Ruyter
Suys rocks out on guitar and backup vocals.
When Nine Pound Hammer
tackles “Rock ‘N’ Roll”, my brain goes into Frank Zappa mode. This one
is very cool indeed. Another sweet
little treat for this outlaw fan is hearing Kyle Turley taking on “The Wild Bunch” with gusto and true grit. In addition, this track also hosts Mickey Raphael on harmonica, adding to
the cowboy imagery made famous by the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone.
Other notable guests include BOA’s own Rickie Lee Reynolds and Jimmy
Henderson, Eddie Spaghetti (Supersuckers), Brian Venable (Lucero), Greg Ginn
(Black Flag), Whiskydick, CT (Rwake) Michael Denner (Mercyful Fate, King
Diamond), and The Kentucky
Bridgeburners). Mutants of the Monster certainly
captures the essence of Black Oak
Arkansas, a pioneering band who pushed beyond the paradigms of rock and
roll itself. Kudos to Joey Killingsworth and his band, Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre
for gathering up this wondrous troop of musicians, to shine the spotlight on
one of the greatest bands there ever was.
