The Dinner Is Ruined Band - "Ray Charles Kinda Party" (Sonic Unyon 2000, suncd068)
The Dinner Is Ruined Band - "Ray Charles Kinda Party"
(Sonic Unyon 2000, suncd068)
From Aural Innovations #15 (April 2001)
The is one seriously FUN band. The Dinner Is Ruin Band's follow-up to 1999's A Maggot In Their Heads is a far more straight ahead rock 'n roll affair. But it didn't take too close a listen to realize that the creative zaniness of their previous effort is ever-present on this new disc along with some major butt kickin' in-yer-face psychedelic rock 'n roll.
"White Pigeon Boogaloo", "Ray Charles Party", and "Shave 'Em Dry Blues" all sound a bit like the Rolling Stones gone acid rock. "White Pigeon Boogaloo" features down 'n dirty Stones styled rock 'n roll mixed with freaked out acid guitars and growly Iggy Poppy vocals. Heavy jamming rock and psychedelia that would go down well in freak havens and biker bars. "Ray Charles Party" is a nasty psych-blues heavy rocker. Screaming rock guitar and shimmering psych licks along with a Sly and the Family Stone funky rockin' attitude make this bar band music that AI readers could hit the floor and cut the rug to. "Funk Assylum" is my runaway favorite track on the disc, taking the Sly sound even further with funky keys and rhythms, spacey keyboards, acid guitars, and a get-down attitude that makes this a tripped out cosmic journey into funk, soul, and space. Killer tune!
"Fertilizer" is a good time doo-woppy tune with playful organ and a 60's bubble gum feel, though still heavy on the rock. Kind of a heavier grungy version of Olivia Tremor Control. "Slumberland" is similar but in that grungy Dinner Is Ruined Band way. "Old Grey House" reminds me of an old Kinks song, complete with Ray Davies vocals. "Soybean Field" is similar but more in Bob Dylan territory than Ray Davies. "Honk If You're Horny" is a short, wild, grungy, chaotic garage instrumental with freakout guitars, drums, and keys. And "Incapacitated" is a mind-numbing psych tune that is both raw and drifting, floating and brain-bashing.
In summary, this is a little different from A Maggot In Their Heads and at first I thought I was more partial to that release. But after several listens to Ray Charles Kinda Party the band has sucked me into the freaky funky groove of the album. Serious rock and a great sense of humor.
For more information you can visit the Sonic Unyon web site.
Contact via snail mail at Sonic Unyon Recording Company; PO Box 57347; Jackson Station; Hamilton, ON L8P 4X2; Canada.
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz