‘Buckeye’ is the latest long player from the Cincinnati band Wussy, though it's actually a compilation of tracks from their previous albums, and will be the band’s first international release. I found it quite hard to review this, as rather than getting a copy of the album, they sent a four track sampler, which means if the four tracks I’ve got are their best, then the album should be quite good. However, if these four tracks are not the highlights, then the album will be excellent.
Anyway, firstly som factual stuff. Wussy consists of Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker both on vocals and guitar, Mark Messerly on bass and keyboards and Joe Klug on drums. The band formed in 2001 and has released five previous albums including one live set.
‘Pulverised’ that starts this sampler thunders along at a great pace, with clanging guitars and drums that sound like the elements colliding. Chuck’s lyrics on this are really good and this comes across as a new wave love song: - “Love that’s stronger than dirt, stand up straight and tall and shout about it/ Do you love me or not? You say “sure” and I feel pulverised.”
‘Maglite’ is more poppy, with jangling guitars and Velvet Underground style backing vocals and harmonies. “Is this your first time? Was that the last straw?” Sung by Lisa, strangely, this was actually titled ‘Maglight’ on their self-titled 2009 album. Go figure.
‘Crooked’ is a guitar heavy slice of weirdness, with some excellent harmonica playing which calls to mind some of Bob Dylan’s early harp work. The lyrics are very abstract on this track: - “This is the night the insects appear. After 17 years on this side of town/ Singing the songs they learned underground.”
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Finally, this sampler closes with ‘Motorcycle’, which comes across as melodic guitar rock, with very echo-ey vocals. The guitar break is really good, and reminded me slightly of some of The Skids work, with guitars swirling like bagpipes. The lyrics seem to centre round the thoughts of leaving town after seeing bikers ride in: - “And if they offered I would take it, a free ride out of this place.” But there’s more, with the ending touching on religion and some dissatisfaction with the current state of play: - “He moves in ways that we can't understand. No one can trace the Lord's almighty hand/ And rapture isn't what I thought it'd be, but Jesus and his angels ride with me.”
I really liked the four tracks on this sampler, and if the rest of the album is half as good, I think that Wussy will be inspiring a new fan base on this side of the pond.
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