REVIEW FOR 01 15 2004

LEADFOOT
WE DRINK FOR FREE
ABSTRACT SOUNDS/LUNASOUND RECORDINGS, 2003
 
I won't lie to you people.  This album is boring.  Sadly, the pedigree of this band (two members of Leadfoot, Karl Agell and Phil Swisher, used to be members of Corrosion of Conformity for about nine seconds in the early 1990's) suggested that this album should have been better.  Now, I don't have a problem with Southern rock and some of the bands who play the style I find enjoyable.  Still, I don't get any realistic vibes from this album.  The problem here, essentially, is the fact that the music on We Drink For Free sounds lifeless and average for the most part.  Granted, this is supposed to be ass-kicking music but there's nothing on here that suggests to me that I should suddenly pick up a chair and smash it against a wall.  The production here's just too clean, essentially.  All the other pieces are right in front of me: competent vocals from Agell, decent guitar tone and playing from Scott Little and John Dzubak, requisite "redneck" lyrics...a clean guitar sound?  Poop on that.  I want this shit to be fed through Marshall stacks and played as though the band was playing for its damn life.  As it stands now, We Drink For Free is adequate bar rock but it's not loud enough or noisy enough to hold my interest.
 
Also, "Chicks Love Metal?"  Yeah, that'd be right if Leadfoot was playing metal.  No, I don't consider Southern rock metal except in the 1970's kind of way.  Hey, I don't want to insult the band but I'm just stating facts.  I'm a jackoff, yes.  I can't be worse of one than an American offshoot of a British label releasing stuff from a Swedish label, though.  American product my ass.
 
ABSTRACT USA
PO Box 41084
Philadelphia, PA
19127
USA
http://www.manicmusiconline.com/
[email protected]
 
LEADFOOT
PO Box 10283
Raleigh, NC
27605-0283
USA
http://www.leadfoot.net/