Clutch: Transnational Speedway League: Anthems, Anecdotes, and Undeniable Truths
1993
Eastwest Records
Format I Own it on: Compact Disc
Track Listing: 1. A Shogun Named Marcus 2. El Jefe Speaks 3. Binge and Purge 4. 12 Ounce Epilogue 5. Bacchanal 6. Milk of Human Kindness 7. Rats 8. Earthworm 9. Heirloom 13 10. Walking in the Great Shining Path of Monster Trucks 11. Effigy
This was a huge album for me back in 1993...I think I had initially heard "A Shogun Named Marcus" on Headbanger's Ball or 120 minutes, or Friday Night Videos or something...
...Probably not Friday Night Videos, but you get my point...one way or another I heard the song and had to find the tape...I remember thinking that it kind of reminded me of a red-neckier Helmet...
...and really my initial assessment wasn't too far off..."Transnational Speedway League" is kind of a strange album in the Clutch discography. It's a lot more metal than their other albums...They hadn't hit upon their bluesier classic rock-influenced style yet...You can clearly imagine some shirtless '93 kid, with anger management issues, throwing punches in the mosh pit while shouting, "C'mon, Motherfucker! C'mon, Motherfucker! C'mon Motherfucker let's throw down!" with a straight face...
And honestly, I can't blame the kid...That's pretty much what drew me in at first, too...But that's not what keeps me coming back to it 20 years later (OMG! 20 YEARS?!?!)...
After a few listens the record started to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack...There was an appealing sense of absurdity to the record. Both in the exaggerated aggression of the instruments and especially in the Neil Fallon's pop-culture Sasquatch performance...Usually, when I spin metal records I tend to lower my expectations lyrically...
Usually it's Dio-esque fantasy lyrics (note: I put Slayer/Venom/King Diamond Satan lyrics in the "fantasy" category...)...
...or Pantera-style "Mr. Tuffy" lyrics...
...or Nu-Metal style "molested goatee" lyrics...
...but Clutch was different...More closely related to witty, hyper-aware indie rock school of lyrics... A skilled mish-mash of non-sequiturs, backwoods threats, commercial jingles, and whatever else pops into Neil Fallon's head...And it all works...I think his lyrics provide most of the hooks, like his "Beebopalloobopawopshamboo and Domo Arigato if I got to..." in "Shogun," or his growling delivery of "I Got Spurs That Jingle, Jangle, Jingle..." in "Walking in the Great Shining Path of Monster Trucks."
I always feel weird about recommending this one...If you're a metal fan, this is absolutely the place to start, but if you're coming into this from any other angle, I'd skip ahead an album...Still this holds up, "Binge and Purge" and "...Monster Trucks" are still a coupe of their best songs, so let's check out "Walking in the Great Shining Path of Monster Trucks" by Clutch...Enjoy the shit out of it...
Man this is a great album! I remember you telling me about the video of Shogun Named Marcus right after the first time you saw it and I couldn't wait to see it or hear it! They were my new favorite band before I even heard it! I can remember Josh always singing Rats too! My favorites are still Heirloom 13 and Walking in the Great Shining Path... I wore this tape right out!
ReplyDeleteWhenever I hear\ "Heirloom 13" I still think of, "KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF!"
ReplyDeleteOh man that's too funny! I totally forgot about that!
ReplyDelete