It's no secret that the hard livin' rabble-rousers here at BluesBunny have somewhat of a soft spot for low-brow rock 'n' roll filth. You can imagine how this 'Bunny felt when the cow-punk brouhaha of Chicago-based duo Naked & Shameless came hurtling out of the CD player. This EP is raw as they come, and all the better for it. Mojo would be proud!
The chaos begins on "Pumpin' 4 the Man". Anyone who has faced the tedium and monotony of slaving away for an unforgiving boss will immediately relate to this profanity-laced version Ween song. "Nice Legs (Shame about the Face)" borrows English hooligan chanting and pairs it with a rough rockabilly edge to exorcise the ghost of a one hit wonder. Believe it or not, it works. However well Naked & Shameless manage their cover songs, there's no questioning their ability at writing witty, catchy songs. "Bill Monroe (Country Legend") is a prime example. Reeling off their country star fantasies to the sound of frantic cow-punk, you're almost wary of the possibility of a bar room brawl breaking out in the vicinity. A well-executed, countrified rendition of the Misfits classic "Where Eagles Dare" leads on to the sexual-dominance themed "Blood Elegy (The Pain of Love)" which is enjoyable in all its stupidity.
Think of a half-assed, perverted incarnation of The Replacements with even worse production, and you're halfway there.
Naked & Shameless stress the need for this EP to be cranked full-blast, and they're right. It doesn't work at half mast. The sorry truth is that this band's success is unlikely to extend beyond their local live circuit. This should take nothing from the inarguable brilliance of this EP. Available from CD Baby.