Americana Music Reviews

There comes a time when a writer must confront the fact that the tools of his trade are at best inadequate for the task at hand. I came to this realization when I set about to write the review for Wammo's latest offering, Faster Than the Speed of Suck. The album is by all means a tour de force by one of the more impressive performers in the Austin music scene, however, I am not sure that the words to adequately describe it to the reader exist in this, or any language.

Those familiar with the work of Wammo, whether as part of The Asylum Street Spankers, as a solo music act, or as a performing "slam" poet, know that he is somewhat of an enigma. He is one of those unusually gifted performers who have a penchant for swimming against the societal current. His observations tend to skirt the prevailing political correctness, often giving it a quick slap in the face. As a musician, he displays a talent that few attain, with his finger firmly on the pulse of the entire global music scene. He is Americana music's answer to Frank Zappa!

Faster Than the Speed of Suck is a concept album. However, please don't confuse it as being one of those mamby pamby concept albums that seemed to be released in droves throughout the seventies. I would dare say that you would be hard pressed to find a concept album like it anywhere. The precept of the record is simple. The content of it isn't. Simply put, it is the story of a man and woman on a road trip from Austin to New Orleans in a borrowed 1965 GTO. The catch? There is a tape jammed in the tape deck, so for the duration of the trip they are forced to listen to the radio, where they have to find something that they both can enjoy listening to. And that is where the fun begins!

Using a series of fictitious radio stations (both AM and FM), on air personalities, and commercials for some highly suspect products and services, Wammo utilizes nearly every genre of music to deftly weave a sordid tale that pokes fun at many of society's strongly held tenets. Love, sex, relationships, drugs, movies, religion, and the internet all receive treatment at some point, but it doesn't end there. Throughout the course of the album Wammo manages to assail many aspects of modern American life. Of course, music is always under his satirical microscope. As the couple, played by John Hawkes and Sarah Ing, work their way across the radio dial, Wammo uses a wide array of musical styles as he lampoons not only society, but oft times the music itself.

Faster Than the Speed of Suck is the most refreshing album to cross my desk since I began this improbable stint with Rockzillaworld over 18 months ago. I have listened and laughed to a degree that I previously doubted possible. It is a rarity on the recorded music scene, somewhat akin to finding that curiosity in the grandparents' attic that you simply have no idea what it is even is, and after days of speculating with friends and family as to the purpose it may serve, you finally take it to an expert of rare antiquities who appraises your little piece of "junk" at a value that rivals your annual income. No matter what I, or anyone else makes of it, it is clear that with the release of this funny, oft times quirky album, Wammo has certainly struck gold!

*Faster Than the Speed of Suck makes me wish that there were a budget in the Rockzillaworld coffers where I could purchase a copy for every reader, to make sure that each and everyone of you are exposed to this brilliant project. However, we all know that this ain't the case, so let strongly encourage you to surf on over to www.wammolovesme.com or www.asylumstreetspankers.com where you can obtain your own copy. I would let you borrow mine, but I know that I will never see it again if I do.



You can contact Scott Snidow at: scott-at-rockzilla.net

 
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