Hulk Album Reviews

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Party Time (2003)
Cowboy Coffee & Burned Knives (2005)

Party Time (2003)

6.5

Intoxicate / Baby / L. Song / Bless My Name / Oh Lord!… / Missing You / Dance Dance / Celebrate / Sweet Little Girl / I Can See All / Life Kills / Brain Drain People / Sugar Sugar

One of the very few semi-successful bands from Brussels, Belgium, Hulk are a trio creating a cocktail of melody and brute rock riffs, catchiness and a high-energy racket (you didn't expect anything else with a name like that, I presume). While the tension between subtlety and force, the eagerness to appeal and the addiction to annoying people with blunt decibel-eruptions has often led to a tension that spurred some bands to create their best work, Hulk didn't exactly find the right balance yet on their debut album, and they're certainly not helped by the release's overproduction, either. Like gazillions of other bands out there, Hulk delved into the annals of rock 'n' roll, became infatuated with bands that once were at the top of their genres (MC5, AC/DC, etc) or reside there now (QOTSA, mainly), coming up with a result that's both predictable and - because of the unmistakeable "European" touch - almost wholly individual. As the title suggests, Party Time isn't aiming for becoming the subject of academic analysis or unleashing grand statements - rockin' out will do - but it's not just the umpteenth filth-garage-punk-hard-rock-riff-fest either. The band may claim in its bio that each of their song aims to be simple and direct like a kiss or a gunshot (which did seem the case when I saw them deliver an ultra-tight, ultra-loud set a few months ago), but there's definitely more to them than just creating a hullabaloo, as the trio of Renaud Mayeur (guitar, whining vocals), Ole ("vicious bass lines and tenderness") and Giacomo ("drums and stupid jokes") often manages to dress up even the most straightforward songs with details that are proof of their capabilities as songwriters and refusal to be mere copycats.

Some of the songs are a bit under-developed or rather unimaginative (the world wasn't really waiting for the bluesy shuffle of "Oh Lord!…," the repetitive tribal rumble of "Dance Dance" or the obligatory acoustic blues of "Sweet Little Girl"), but some others work better at revamping the old rock tradition: "Intoxicate" is basically sped-up AC/DC and "Bless My Name" is what the Motor City Five would sound like if they'd been formed three decades later. The album may not aim for lyrical greatness, but that still doesn't explain the most distinctive - and occasionally puzzling - aspect of the album's sound: the treatment of the vocals. Granted, Renaud's high-pitched vocals (I swear he almost sounds like a Jello Biafra on helium sometimes) aren't always as successful, but that's no reason to a) have 'em completely in the background, or b) turn 'em almost annoyingly unrecognisable with spacey effects. The over-reliance of studio trickery repeatedly robs the music off of its attack, which is a pity. Still, there's some interesting stuff going on here, not in the least when the band hits less familiar territory: "L. Song" almost reconciles Elastica with Fu Manchu, terrific single "Baby" combines almost lounge-y verses with a pumped-up 80's glam-chorus, a peculiar influence which is confirmed by their excellent chugging version of the Human League's "Life Kills" (yes, it has happened… "chugging" AND "The Human League" appeared in one and the same sentence). Even though they have a different sound, the band resembles Josh Homme's project sometimes, as two ingredients that shouldn't be reconcilable (check out the clash between the charging fuzzy guitars and the almost dreamlike vocals of "Brain Drain People," for instance), do manage to create a worthwhile synthesis. Party Time definitely has appeal (although it took me a while to appreciate it), but because of its inconsistency, awkward production and an ongoing conflict between the band's potential and the chosen execution, it fails to meet the expectations by a bit. As such, it' too much Bruce Boxleitner and not enough Lou Ferrigno.

Cowboy Coffee & Burned Knives (2005)

7

My Nation / Bad Girl… Bad Boy / It's Allright! / Magic / Sunshine Through the Rain / Music Is Love / Real Rocker / Sweet Love / Never Walk This Way / Sorry / Down / Like Everybody Does / Seducer (un-credited hidden track)

Rock & roll has become too easy. All too often it's considered a lifestyle, a way of being, of approaching the reality that surrounds one. Well, let me tell you one thing: you can't be rock 'n' roll. You play it. It seems to have become a synonym for respectively "cool," "loud," "arrogant," "slightly stupid" and "dangerous," and preferably a combination of those. As the possibilities of rock & roll have been exploited, maltreated and gang-raped, as production values have changed vastly, with all possible excesses as a result, there has been a call for a return to the basics, something that gives you that gut feeling, that tingling feeling beneath your stomach that you get when discovering great bands at the age of 15 (and after that, less and less frequent, unfortunately). It's the folly of youth in combination with something you can't exactly put your finger on. It's hard to decide what it essentially is that makes rock & roll music good, you know, rock & roll music. You can go a long way with decent gear and volume, but there's gotta be more than that. Attitude? Well yeah, way back in the late 50s that already became an integral part of the act, a certain rebelliousness - we didn't want our rave-ups to be something our dull neighbours, uncles and teachers would like, did we? -, but it all doesn't mean a thing if it doesn't have the necessary urgency, sincerity and intensity (call it 'soul' if you like). Also: you need actual songs. Browsing the internet, you unavoidably walk into these saviours of rock & roll, these high-energy garage bands disbanding excess in favour of attitude, blood-raw riffs and the lack of production values. All that in the name of rock & roll.

Do you hear that SOUND? It SOUNDS great!!" Same thing with many of the bands out there filing themselves under "bulldozer rock," "speedrock," "high-octane rock & roll," "real rockin' music" (as opposed to the "false" variety). Some of them get away with it, but most don't. Just an attitude won't get you anywhere. Having two six packs before a show won't get you anywhere. Not in the long run. Blame the axis of evil: Stooges/MC5 - AC/DC - Motörhead: bands that during different circumstances, each with different means and purposes, succeeded at touching the core of what constitutes good rock & roll. Three bands that fooled legions of aspiring musicians that enough volume or attitude will do. Why all this blah blah in a review of Hulk's sophomore release? Well, basically because the four mentioned bands have been a major influence on this trio: many of the band's riffs wouldn't have existed if it weren't for Malcolm and Angus Young. Cowboy Coffee & Burned Knives is tough, masculine, bursting with testosterone and under ideal circumstances (on a stage, for instance), its songs kicks all kinds of ass (and boy, did this trio prove they're three tight-playing bastards earlier this year). Whether it's the sped-up riff of "Never Walk This Way" or the chugging groove of "Bad Girl… Bad Boy" (which comes complete with Bon Scott-styled yelps), the guys from down under are never far away, nor is the messianic hubris of the Motor City Five. Luckily, the band has understood that adding some different ingredients might benefit the end result. Apart from the hardrock riffs and blues-rock grooves, there are also influences from stoner, punk, surf and pop. Like on Party Time, the band often adds soft, melodic vocals to the gritty music. Since the Queens of the Stone Age have become the reigning kings of heavy rock, this is a more common approach, but that needn't imply it always works, as the vocals are sometimes just a bit wimpish and make you wanna slap singer/guitarist Herr Mayer on the back and tell him to act like… a man. The band manages to insert some goofy funk ("Real Rocker" is a nasty example) and humour throughout the album, but aren't really capable of maintaining that for over 45 minutes. On top of that, the circumstances (the band recorded the album at the legendary Rancho de la Luna in the Californian desert, with the aid of people like Brant Bjork, Chris Goss, Jesse Hughes and Dave Catching) regularly looks better on paper than in reality, as several songs have the warmth but lack the spark a few others ("It's Allright!" in particular) do have. Cowboy Coffee & Burned Knives< is a more even and harder rocking album than their inconsistent debut, but it's also limited by taking less risks. While they're a live force to be reckoned with (volume and sweat are convincing arguments in a live context), they'll still have to surpass this album and themselves to really live up to their name.