It’s tough to be unbiased toward a band whose lead singer, John Sharkey III, gets banned from clubs for pissing on other bands’ merchandise tables, tackling audience members, and using racial slurs on stage. Worse than these three things combined, it’s hard to be objective in evaluating a band that unabashedly proclaims Nirvana to be “dogshit,” faulting them for starting “alternative rock.” 4,000 scene points to you, John, for that culturally scathing comment.
Surely Clockcleaner has taken enough flak by now for these actions, but while many reviewers will say these facts should be critiqued separately from the music, I say that'd be ignoring an intrinsic part of the band’s image and message. In fact, it's probably something the band would prefer you keep in mind when you throw on their new record, Babylon Rules.
Taking all this into account, Babylon Rules, the band’s sixth album -- and I hope I use a phrase un-poseur enough for Sharkey -- is pretty much the balls. You’ve hopefully heard the single already, “Vomiting Mirrors,” and experienced guitar work that seems more like it was crafted by Andy Gill or Ted Falconi than an angry twenty-something from Philly. Sharkey’s bullshit aside, at least half the tracks on this disc are prime examples of what punk rock could have become if it hadn’t fallen into the artistic wasteland known as MTV.
Misirlou-esque guitar dominates this album, punctuated by Sharkey’s sneering vocals, Karen Horner’s carefully blended bass, and Richie Charles Jr.’s delightfully reactive drumming. There’s even a nice dose of Slint-like guitar harmony, rare in a genre so focused on minor barre chord after minor barre chord. Musically, it’s a dark, clever mélange of interesting sounds that couldn’t be more cohesive, thanks mostly to the “live” sound that gives this record its rightful sense of “authenticity.”
As far as Clockcleaner's message, I’m afraid there’s not much to extrapolate on. Sharkey complains about girlfriends who never let him cum inside of them, dead dogs on train tracks, and various other subjects not worth going into. There’s obviously a certain amount of sarcasm in his lyrics, which Sharkey has acknowledged, but like Clockcleaner's last album, the line between irony and tactlessness is fuzzy at best. In any case, Babylon Rules will be on my record rotation for a while, at least until Sharkey pees on my band’s merch table.
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