Artist: Alabama Thunderpussy
Label: Relapse Records
Release Date: 5/25/04
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Title: Fulton Hill Artist: Alabama Thunderpussy Label: Relapse Records Release Date: 5/25/04 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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4 | ||
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Abyss's Review:
Okay, I have to say right off of the bat that I just don't really like southern rock/metal all that much. I never broke out my lighter for "Free Bird" or had a Confederate Flag hanging on my wall or the roof of my car. Of course, I never hated southern rock all that much either, I just listened to it with a big, emphatic eh. So with that being said I have to express my surprise at how much I'm digging this new Alabama Thunderpussy album.
"One word review: Rawkin!" This is even more surprising because they seem to have injected even MORE southern rock into their sound. They switch between their grass roots and aggressive sounds, but the rocker songs get the spotlight. The song "Three Stars" is amazing, capturing the Skynyrd vibe so genuinely, I initially thought it might be a cover. And while it won't hold much for the average grindcore fan, it makes me want to sit on my porch and bang my head while sipping some bourbon (perhaps even some Tennessee whiskey). Of course, I don't have a porch, and life in general puts me in the mood to drink bourbon, but hey - I don't head bang to just anything.
The album is constructed beautifully, with a pleasant instrumental intro and a great mix of rock and metal. I love the way the band seems so at ease with the southern rock thing, but can turn up the aggression whenever they want. They are effective at both styles, and new vocalist Johnny Weils is the icing on the cake. His voice can be smooth or rough, depending on the song, and perfectly complements the atmosphere set up by the musicians.
Again, this really isn't my sort of thing, but this album is very compelling. I would think anyone even remotely receptive to the southern flavor would eat this up, as it surpasses even the Black Label Society's best work. Alabama Thunderpussy just made a new fan. One word review: Rawkin!
Death's Review:
Although Alabama Thunderpussy has a significant history, with three prior albums on Man's Ruin Records and a fourth out on Relapse, I didn't really pay attention to them prior to now. I totally did not expect to like this album. I had no idea that I'd actually like it as much as I do. Fulton Hill rocks. Big time. Classic punk attitude, classic rock vibe. Alabama Thunderpussy are heavy, dynamic, melodic, sludge-ridden, down and dirty and just plain fun. Think the Misfits meets Lynard Skynard meets Black Sabbath meets Clutch meets Monster Magnet meets Mastodon meets Guns 'N Roses. You know, one of those bands.
But seriously, this album is superb. New vocalist Johnny Weills is fantastic. The production is outstanding (I like the isolation of one guitar in the right speaker and the other in the left on certain parts), and the entire album features interesting songwriting and a certain veneer of honest and brutal ugliness. Fulton Hill never bores and always exposes a raw sonic nerve at every turn. There are stoned-sounding rockers awash in fuzz tones and harsh, screamed vocals, and there are mellow classic rock style ballads with Thin Lizzy style twin guitar parts and vocals that sound like Axl Rose singing something off one of the Use Your Illusion albums. Fulton Hill defies expectations and rises above the pretenders. It may take a few listens to sink in, but this album is the real deal, and it is definitely worth your time.
"Fulton Hill rocks. Big time."
Hel's Review:
At some point, I decided I didn’t like Alabama Thunderpussy. I don’t remember when or why, but I’m guessing it had something to do with the band’s name. I carried around this assumptive dislike for a very long time, until I checked out Relapse’s Contamination Festival DVD, which featured ATP among the bands. At that point in time, I realized perhaps I didn’t hate them as much as I believed. Fulton Hill has taken that seed of doubt and banished it.
"Kick back, pour yourself a stiff drink, and raise your glass in a toast to ATP." I suppose one of the reasons I had decided I must not like this band is because, as a general rule, I despise country-fried rock. Lynard Skynard, for example, always had too much “country” in their music for me to find the band tolerable. I must have assumed ATP would be similar. Contrary to the belief I had created, ATP does not contain any of those hallmarks of country music that I find so distasteful. They use no steel guitar and the vocalist has absolutely no cringe-inducing country twang to his voice. In fact, I found his vocal style quite pleasing, again, contrary to my pre-conceived notions.
The songwriting ranges from good old-fashioned stoner rock, to ballads that are moving yet remarkably free of sentimental pap. The album runs the gambit between these styles, and absolutely oozes with sincerity while it does so. While there are the occasional moments that I don’t find myself on exactly the same page as the band, they still manage to keep me from reaching over and skipping the track or turning the disc off entirely. Sure, “Three Stars” reminds me an awful lot of a certain Tenacious D song, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
All in all, I found Fulton Hill to be an enjoyable diversion from the usual releases that come my way. Even though I don’t drink, listening to this record makes me feel like I should have a glass of whiskey in my hand. If you’re a fan of ATP, I have a hard time imagining that you will not love this album. Kick back, pour yourself a stiff drink, and raise your glass in a toast to ATP.
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