Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA The Mofos - Supercharged On Alcohol
 | The Mofos are very long on loud and dangerous, pumped with interesting arrangements, and all about the chunk and grind of the garage. Their music is not very melodic, but it sure is tuff and overbearing. They have a really BIG sound.
The Mofos can be described in one word, "intense!" My negative observations are that the most common beat is just a rock beat, where more surf oriented drums would place the songs closer to the surf, and that most of the disc is at one intense level of relentless and unchanging assault. Live, it would wear you out. On disc, it's too much for one sitting. Still, there are some mighty fine tracks here, just not all at once. You'll notice it didn't keep me from giving it four stars! |
Picks: Untermeyer Park, Satan-A-Go-Go, Drag City, Spy In Yer Eye, Supercharged On Alcohol, Dune Buggy War At Pismo Beach, Loco Jodido, F$#! Art... Let's Make Money, Ciente De Espanol A Juan, Link-Ray, ...And The Horse You Rode In On, M.A.N.T., 2 Minutes To Live, Dimension X
Track by Track Review
Dark Garage (Instrumental)
A big dangerous chord and howling feedback lumbers into a long sustain combo of Earl Hagen and Link Wray stylistically with big garage edge. Dark, gruesome, and forbidding.
Dark Surf (Instrumental)
Dark double picked thunder and thundering relentless drums pack a punch in a Big Guitars From Texas kinda twang and crunchendo monster. Big, loud, and dangerous.
Dark Garage (Instrumental)
Major darkness falls on a back alley thrashing, with huge power and danger. Completely in your face assault with thundering drums and bass. Yikes!
Dark Surf (Instrumental)
Rock and roll chunk with surf chords and glissandoes. The constant assault is reminiscent of some eighties-nineties bands east of the Sierras, though it's much more surf based. Parts of "Spy In Yer Eye" are very cool, while others are too riff-rock for my taste. There's no denying the energy and attack in this song.
Dark Garage (Instrumental)
With a relentless rhythm that reminds me of a garage version of Armageddon's "Buzzard," this hard rocking guitar windup grabs you by the throat and just won't let go. It's big and tuff and nerve wracking, and very much a rock song.
Dune Buggy War At Pismo Beach Dark Surf (Instrumental)
Not even slightly like the finesse masterpiece "Dune Buggy" (Surfaris), this song starts with am intense double picked rip and doesn't let up. The huge energy and assault of "Dune Buggy War At Pismo Beach" seems better called "Shortboard War" because it's so angry sounding.
Dark Surf (Instrumental)
"Loco Jodido" is a modern surf monster with a more surfable melody, though it surely is a long way from the longboard set. Shreddin' and hard driving, with a relentless intensity.
F$#! Art... Let's Make Money Dark Garage (Instrumental)
This is just big and loud and angry. No melody, no direction, just relentless in you face assault.
Dark Surf (Instrumental)
"Ciente De Espanol A Juan" is a splendid song, with double picked lines, a Spanish influence, and a kind of loud quiet about it. Thick and compressed, a "listen to me" delivery, and yet a kind of grace. A very cool song.
Dark Surf (Instrumental)
Gee, I wonder what this might be like? "Jack The Ripper " romps with extreme loudness and grit in the early part of the song, just in case you didn't otherwise notice the influence and intensity. Big!
...And The Horse You Rode In On Dark Surf (Instrumental)
Link Wray throbbing second guitar, surf influenced lead, and hard rockin' bass and drums. If Lemmy did surf, it might be like this. Simply big and intense!
Dark Surf (Instrumental)
Aquatic chords and moody lines, double picked pummeling, and thunder from the in-sync bass and drums. Dark and drama laden, and less continually assaultive than others here, with more dynamics and texture.
Rock (Instrumental)
Mondo power, huge sound from a stereo wash, and a strong rock assault. There are some surfish guitar lines buried in the mire, and it sure is a tuff song! Think garage riff rock assault with extra edge and more interest.
Dark Surf (Instrumental)
Like the Ventures In Space on distortion and much guttier, "Dimension X" lumbers like Godzilla across a black sand beach. Dark, dangerous, and inescapable. Link Wray meets a giant lizard at Malibu.