Mekons - Fear and Whiskey
(Quarterstick)
For those not familiar with the Mekons and their numerous musical
shifts, 1985's Fear and Whiskey began their embrace of
American country music. To many people, this is the definitive Mekons
sound—a warped British punk take on country and western, with Hank
Williams' ghost watching over the same rage that recorded Never Been
in a Riot in 1978.
Even if Fear and Whiskey is to blame for the existence of
alternative country, it's still a fantastic work of down and out
bitterness, confusion and self-deprecation. The political side of the
band is evident in "Trouble Down South" (perhaps my favorite Mekons'
song ever), but the majority of the album revolves around the dark
side of rock and roll—being drunk, disillusioned, alone, and
aspiring to write the Greatest Song Ever (which Jon Langford and Tom
Greenhalgh succeed in doing several times here, with "Hard to Be
Human" and "Last Dance" especially competing for the title).
But don't expect any Uncle Tupelo wimpiness here; the
Mekons are truly writing in their own style, cross-pollinating their
punk roots with the country canon (shown with their cover of Leon Payne's
"Lost Highway"). It's a style that may take some getting used to;
I took a long time to warm up to this record when I first heard it, and I would
say that it's defnitely an acquired taste. Susie Honeyman's violin
playing and the loud, plodding drums of Steve Goulding really set the
music apart from anything else the Mekons ever did. The distinctive
voice of Sally Timms, which has somewhat characterized their work
since then, didn't join the band until the next album (Edge of the
World) so don't expect it here.
My only real complaint is that this reissue dropped the bonus tracks
that were on the Twin/Tone CD. That CD, Original Sin, added the
"Slightly South of the Border" 10", a great continuation of the ideas
begun here and also expressed on Edge of the World. I'm not sure
why Quarterstick only released the 10 songs from the album. While it
makes the album seem more coherent, there is no reason for those of us
who already have the LP to buy this, hence the docking of one point
from this 12/12 classic. For those who don't own Fear and Whiskey,
this reissue is a must, but first you should try to find a used copy
of Original Sin.
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