Review Summary: This band sounds like they should be playing for mental institution inmates? Well, they have.
Lux Interior was born in Akron, Ohio, the same place I hail and currently reside. There is a madness in the stale air that comes from the mistake on Lake Erie causing people to be born to be quite pleasant only to change into garbage eating punk rock humanoids who live off 100 proof alcohol and warped records. We really are human flies with ninety-six tears and ninety-six eyes. It may also be the debilitating corporate slavery that causes us to mutate into beings never before seen in history.
Bad Music for Bad People is just as the title suggests. It manifests itself in the bile of corporate America and it sits and stews and laughs at all the squares doing square things and laughs at all the people getting married, getting jobs at the supermarket they hate and going to college for jobs that aren't available then finally they become unhappy with everything, themselves and everyone else without knowing why they are unhappy and that's the moment this album and this band and I are waiting for. All the while we roll around in our own excrement. The whole thing is very comedic, the whole life thing, and if you don't want to get sad about it, you better laugh. Laugh while listening to this record.
He who makes a beast of themselves gets rid of the pains of being a man. This is the main driving force behind The Cramps' second compilation. I've had this album since I was a kid and was always under the impression that this was The Cramps' first full-length, but alas, it is just a mere marketing ploy by their record label to exploit them after the band left for good. It is by no means bad in terms of the music, however, since I thought this was an actual album. The track listing is very well done. Each track varies from subjects like illicit drug use in “Drug Train” to fifties monster drive-in movie themed songs like “Human Fly” to the weirdly catchy rant “She Said” with ease. The album never gets old as one walks through this dumpster hell because the songs are all entertaining in their own way and feature different tempos and groove styles. From the surf rock drenched “Goo Goo Muck” to the horror-tinged, country-fried punk rock of “Save It” the band's sound manipulates in different ways while staying true to the freedom of their true punk rock spirits and that's why it works. If you allow yourself into this filthy but real world, this album can be a fun ride. This ain't no Mohawk, chains and leather jacket Casualties here. This is the real deal drug freak punk rock n' roll.
The primitive-yet-punishing drums push the songs forward effectively while staying true to the character and the hottest lead guitarist in rock history, Lux Interior's wife, Poison Ivy Rorschach's melodies plummet the band into a hypnotizing, careless frenzy all fronted by Lux Interior's insane vocals that fit the band perfectly bad. The band plays how they live, not needing anything or anybody. You won't find nifty production quirks or auto tune, but to the seasoned listener, this is refreshing even after nearly thirty years since the release date and the untimely demise of the said front man. This band sounds like they should be playing for mental institution inmates, right? Well, they have.
The best time to listen to this record is when the sun is rising after an alcohol fueled night and you got passed out flesh bags all around your feet. Or on a night where you just feel like bashing a bunch of mailboxes or tipping some cows. Or in-between parties and your feeling good and calm and watching the trees go by and it all starts to blur out.
