Guttermouth - Gusto

Guttermouth aren’t too worried about following scene trends, they’re just there – having a little fun.

I own Guttermouth’s The Album Formerly Known as Lull Length LPand while it sits in a pile with a bunch of rarely listened to CDs, I’ll put it on every now and then for kicks. Besides, I get a laugh out of tracks like "1-2-3-Slam" where Mark Adkins sings “my mom is white, she thinks she's right / she thinks that she's the best / my dad is just a negro, he's not one to play golf / I don't know what the hell I am / so 1-2-1-2-3 slam!” but then I realize that the CDs holds some of the single worst songs I have ever heard in my life. Basically, that album is just there, it merely exists; irrelevant and inconsequential.

Guttermouth then followed up that release with a host of inconsequential albums. Albums that never really did anything, they were just there – music filled with jokes, crude humor and no frills, run of the mill, Vandals-esque pop/rock driven punk. Then they began incorporating more melody in their music, turning up their pop valve and cranking out more foot tapping, head bopping, yet still irreverent tunes about wild donkey sex shows in Mexico (see: “Lucky the Donkey” from Musical Monkey). It’s not that their releases were bad; they just really did not do anything special. They were neither terrible releases or for that fact, really any good.

Fast forward a few years and the scene is now quite comfortable with the emo-laden, wussed out rock that has taken center stage. And while some are keen on the testosterone challenged brand of rock, the “clown princes” of potty humor and catchy punk have other things on their mind. And like Andrew W.K in the realm of mainstream, Guttermouth remind all who will listen that it’s about having fun. With up beat melodic numbers ("Scholarship in Punk", "Walk of Shame") and the silliness they are known for ("Pee in the Shower"), Gustois perhaps the least inconsequential (huh?) record they have ever written. Throw in some folk, country and a nice jig influenced number ("Looking for #1") and you have a decent, fun, good time record. Guttermouth aren’t too worried about following scene trends, they’re just there – having a little fun.

(Epitaph Records)