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Just a very quick note (or as quick as *I* can be). I just got the
new Hellbenders CD "Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die" (how cool is
that?) and I have listened to it a few times now. I will post a more
detailed review later, but I must say this thing is FANTASTIC. In
case you didn't know, The Hellbenders are actually 3/4 of the
Volcanos surf band plus a different bass player. This band plays
music along the lines of spaghetti-western/cowboy country/early
Johnny Cash. Both instrumental and vocals. The dual guitars are
twangy and often reverby, the bass is thumpy and the drums pound out
the familiar martial sounding western beat. Surf fans will be able
to appreciate this. Arch Stanton's (err... Rick Mills) vocals are
perfect for this genre, he's got great cowboy inflections, and the
lyrics are something right out of a dime store western novel. Over
the top! As in the Volcanos, the guitars inter-twine and trade off,
similiar to the Bambi Molesters (but perhaps not as exotic). Anyway,
the thing is a TON OF FUN and very well played and performed. I
personally like the Morricone influenced cover songs the most, but
their cowboy tunes (that harken back to when country and rock-n-roll
were still very closely tied together - think Johnny Cash) are also
very fresh and inventive sounding.
When I was kid my Dad watched a lot of the old Bonanza TV shows, the
Clint Eastwood/Sergio Leone westerns, etc, etc. These songs invoke
the spirit of those old western themes and literally paint them
before your very eyes. This is a very visual CD.
Great artwork by the band too. The songs are often intercut with
little 30-60 second song snippets/themes, something that you may
hear on a Western movie soundtrack just before a gun fight. Just
very well done.
Highly recommended!
BN
PS Bonus question: does anyone else know the significance of the
name "Arch Stanton"? :)
