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 LEATHERFACE-
Dog Disco (BYO
Records) Aptly named after the chainsaw-wielding, teenage-slaying
maniac in the movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Leatherface make good use of
their name as their music is nothing short of fierce and formidable. Dog
Disco kicks off with the happy-go-lucky song “Hoodlum” which puts into
perspective the truculent, Lemmy-like (Motorhead), guttural, yet sincere
vocals in which lead singer Frankie Stubbs sings at the zenith of his
career. At first listen, one may draw away from the album because of
Frankie’s low-key singing (as I did when I first listened to Cherry
Knowle) but his voice wins you over, with his wit and charming lyrics as
evident on “Diddly Squat.” ‘For years I tried to see the world as a
child, and now I see a child as the world.’ Although losing a second
guitarist from the previous line-up, Frankie once again prevails and fills
the void with a more dense, pre-grunge guitar sound. The vast influence
Leatherface has shared with the punk, emo and hardcore community is at its
more apparent on Dog Disco. Bands like Hot Water Music, Planes Mistaken
For Stars, Avail, Dillinger Four and many countless others have borrowed
and abused this
UK
band’s distinct and unforgettable sound into many of their own records.
Every song hits an emotional note as Frankie’s words seem to stumble
from his lips, sometimes falling short of the listener's ears, all the
while convincing you to get off your ass and open the lyric jacket—it is
pure poetry to read along to. Any long based Leatherface fan will buy this
album, but I also suggest anyone who is interested in an original and
eccentric sound to try it out, as this could be Leatherface’s best and
last album. —Mike Blanks
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