Burl

Album review

It was dedicated to the memory of folksinger Burl Ives, but there was one small problem -- he wasn't dead at the time. Regardless, Burl itself is a fun slice of madness, with regular producer at the time Butch Vig once again helping to make the trio's vision a rather gruesomely funny reality via this six-song effort. The most unlikely of the band's covers closed things out, Jessi Colter's "I'm Not Lisa," as nuttily trudge-worthy as could be imagined in the band's hands. If there's a legendary number, though, then no doubt about it, the opening "Hamburger Martyr" became the group's anthem or close to it. Starting with a spat "F*ck you!," Michael Gerald takes detailed time to criticize a greasy-spoon chef's lack of cooking ability ("I could make a better hamburger with my asshole!"), then witheringly corrects him in the ways of burger flipping. All this loud-as-hell sludge/stomp noise is mixed with kitchen chaos and random quotations from Voltaire as well; it's Killdozer in a nutshell.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo