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The
first time I listened to Nashville Pussy’s Let Them Eat
Pussy I determined they were a good rock and roll band
playing a style that at the time had no leading rep. I
was impressed. I figured they’d be it. Then, I paid
attention to The Hellacopters and forgot all about them.
Theirs was ageless rock and roll. So was the Pussy’s but
there was no question about who was doing it better. To be
truthful, I am surprised that Nashville Pussy has stuck
around this long. Apparently, this Kentucky band is here
for the long run, and they don’t know how to do anything
else. Personally, I think their albums got old a while
back and their tunes perfectly reflect the fleeting
sense of easiness. It’s passing music. And maybe that’s
not a bad thing. After all, it’s only rock n’ roll.
Nashville
Pussy’s music has retained the same traits of good ol’ rock and
roll, but their songs lack the distinctive nature of say, the
Hellacopters or Motorhead. Of the former they lack their talent
for melodies and their conscious progression towards more
polished, acceptable, palatable and massive sounds. I admire the
fact that Nashville Pussy sound as charged today as they did
back in their debut. Unfortunately, of the latter (Motorhead), not even the
Pussy’s best tunes leave the long lasting mark that any of Motorhead’s bonafide classics.
Their riffs
are rampant, fast notes are delivered with conviction by Ruyter
Suys. No doubt about it, she is a talented guitarist, but the
songs that her riffs form leave me cold. Suys’ husband vocalist
Blaine Cartwright provides the vocals. Talk about a one note
man. Sure, there are plenty of those, and in great legendary
bands like AC DC and, of course, Motorhead, but Cartwright’s voice
is so one sided and is delivered in such similar fashion from
song to song, one can’t help but wonder if there is such a thing
as mood swings or ups and downs.
Live in
Hollywood captures the band’s blistering performance. It is
blistering alright, as the band jumps from song to song without
a change and in hurried mode. It is a raw show, played with a
raw attitude. Like it should, but the audience seems stoic,
unmoved. And the viewer feels the same way. Like in their
albums, the songs pass by and you don’t even notice. Nashville
Pussy do have some standout moments, “Go Motherfucker Go” is
still a personal favorite, “Hate and Whiskey” is memorable and
their lyrics are immediate, but the rest of the songs evoke the
enthusiasm of a worm. They lack feeling, and lose momentum after
the first few seconds.
Sure, there is always
the excuse that this is rock and roll and the energy is there.
Personally I need more. Nashville Pussy leave me just warm.
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