That’s a good review of the “Moral Panic” LP. Thank you, Mr. Christoph Kutzer. I was probably a bit impatient, sorry. I’m very happy when the songs are received that way. It’s really not an easily accessible album, even if at first glance it may seem more “poppy” than what people are used to from us. The “radicality” is in the details. Mr. Kutzer gets to the heart of it. I couldn’t have said it better myself!
—–enjoy——
Music from the left hand side of god: REVEREND ELVIS AND THE UNDEAD SYNCOPATORS cause „Moral Panic“
Do you like fucked up music for fucked up people? I don’t think this labels all songs on „Moral Panic“ (Suzy Q Records) the new album by REVEREND ELVIS AND THE UNDEAD SYNCOPATORS. It surely labels „You Fucked Me Up“. The title is rude? Wait until you heard the music. The guitar is out of tune and noone will use any euphemistic abreviations like „F-word“ here. Fuck!
The other side of the Reverend is a melancholic sensibility. „The Boy Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn“ by ALISON KRAUSS or the unpretentious version of LASZLO JAVORS „Gloomy Sunday“, a tune from the 1930s that was said to be so dark that it could make people commit suizide, are two shining examples. It is no fashionable melancholy. It is stripped down and pure. As pure and direct as REVEREND ELVIS sounds in every moment of this record (as on other recordings). The radical attitude of this music is punk.
The musical fundament is bluegrass, blues, country… artists that went against the grain here and there. Who might sit on the „Left Hand Side Of God“? Gabriel? Noone? Or he, who is linked to the left side path? REVEREND ELVIS interprets the JIMMY DRIFTWOOD (1907-1998) number with a banjo and upright bass in a way that stresses the fact that the place that is devided from the chosen few is allright. I guess the REVEREND would say: I am a sinner. Because I am human. So what? No need for „Moral Panic“.
Don’t panic! Not even when you read the title „Cry Me A River“.No it is not a JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE cover. It is the good old ARTHUR HAMILTON-song, that became a Jazz standard and was (among others) interpreted by ELLA FITZGERALD. Supported by the UNDEAD SYNCOPATORS with some handclaps and minimal backing vocals, REVEREND ELVIS serves us a fantastic swinging version. Yes, a broken heart sucks. But does it keep you from partying and having a good time? In a strange way, it does not. And isn’t it rebellion to refuse to let lovesickness take over? Rebellion is the key. Whether it’s „Mama Tried“, written by MERLE HAGGARD (1937-2016) or „I Am A Good Ol’ Rebel“ with self penned lyrics by the Reverend… Freedom and being unadapted is the essence of this music. Whatever you call it.
Death Country might help as an orientation, but is more than that. Hand made Rebel music, that does not deny feelings just to keep up an image. I hope that hits the nail more or less. In many cases this means stripping songs down to the essence. The closing number is „Unchained Melody“, originally written in 1955 and covered by artists ranging from Elvis over Bing Crosby or Roy Orbison to Cindy Lauper. This one is really popular. On „Moral Panic“ it is still catchy, but also a bit itchy (sorry. Wasn’t it Itchy and Catchy in The Simpsons?). The guitar isn’t noisy, but still it is raw. No effects. No extras. Just the melody. The voice. The Instrument.
Maybe all the polished plastic products are even more fucked up in the end. This album is beautiful. Here ist he title track „Moral Panic“: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j97Wcai2Llc
