Reverend Horton Heat - Laughin & Cryin With The '2009

Tracks list

The Reverend Horton Heat may have started out as the loudest and wildest
rockabilly act in all creation, but with the passage of time, guitarist Jim
Heath and his rhythm section have mellowed quite a bit (particularly from Its
Martini Time onward), and compared to their early work for Sub Pop, Laughin &
Cryin with the Reverend Horton Heat sounds downright placid. Part of this boils
down to thematic issues -- with two songs about Texas, another about how
intellectuals dont get people from the South or West, and one that actually
gripes about how weird death metal guys are, Laughin & Cryin leaves a certain
amount to be desired in terms of imagination and originality, and even when
Heath comes up with a witty idea (comparing a busted romance to the Hindenburg
on Aw, The Humanity or explaining why the Good Lord isnt likely to help you at
the blackjack table in Oh God/ Doesnt Work in Vegas), the execution doesnt have
quite the juice that would solidly bring it across. Heaths guitar work is still
fluid and lively, but the melodies lack the energy and hot-rodded power he used
to summon with ease, and bassist Jimbo Wallace and drummer Paul Simmons dont
appear to be pushing him with any real conviction, though they keep time just
fine. A shortage of speed and punch isnt the only major problem by a long shot
-- Heaths Rev. Organdrum side project was devoted to jazz and blues-based
material that dialed down the tempo but sounded fresher and more engaged than
most of the stuff on Laughin & Cryin, which instead plays like the work of an
act with talent to spare but not much in the way of new ideas or inspiration.
The execution is skillful enough that Laughin & Cryin with the Reverend Horton
Heat can get by on the impressive chops of the players, but anyone who spent
much time listening to this trio in their heyday (or even as far back as 2004s
Revival) cant help but feel a bit let down by this album.

Tracks:
01. Reverend Horton Heat - Drinkin And Smokin Cigarettes (4:05)
02. Reverend Horton Heat - Aint No Suguaro In Texas (3:41)
03. Reverend Horton Heat - Death Metal Guys (3:20)
04. Reverend Horton Heat - River Ran Dry (2:40)
05. Reverend Horton Heat - Please Dont Take The Baby To The Liquor Store (2:53)
06. Reverend Horton Heat - Aw, The Humanity (4:40)
07. Reverend Horton Heat - Rural Point Of View (3:30)
08. Reverend Horton Heat - Oh God! Doesnt Work in Vegas (4:28)
09. Reverend Horton Heat - Spacewalk (2:46)
10. Reverend Horton Heat - Beer Holder (3:49)
11. Reverend Horton Heat - Crazy Ex-Boyfriend (3:20)
12. Reverend Horton Heat - Theres A Little Bit Of Everything In Texas (2:25)
13. Reverend Horton Heat - Just Let Me Hold My Paycheck (4:26)
14. Reverend Horton Heat - Oh By Jingo! (2:08)

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