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Part Three

Wanna Contribute?

If you don't already have this CD (and you don't live in Canada where the Royal Canadian Mounted Posties have been on strike) then get your ass and (hopefully valid) credit card over to the Immune page and order it! Yeah, Bryan says it will be in the stores in January but you'd probably have better luck guessing the exact number of hairs on Bryan's butt [Sheesh, thanks for the visual, Brad!] than finding it in your local CD shop. So get over your mailorderophobia already.

I don't know if it was all that keyboarding around the world with Steve Vai or possibly all those Richard Clayderman (the world's best loved pianist) albums that Mike's been listening to, but this CD has a LOT of keyboards. It's no wonder that BFD is now sporting a full-time keyboard wiz. Have no fear, though; there is plenty of guitar going on here, and, in my opinion, some of Mike's most memorable leads. It took me a few listens to really get into Hat and plenty more for Dust Speck to make sense to me. Sluggo! took exactly one listen to make me love it. Unlike Hat and Dust Speck (which start off with songs that make you wonder what you just bought) this CD gets going with a "burst of Briggs" and a song that is totally possessed.

Potato: When Mike says, "now you're going to sing," he means it. This song still haunts my dreams and makes me wonder if Mike has cut a deal with the devil [Zowie! Ever read Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency?]. In fact, I'm singing Potato right now. I CAN'T STOP! If this song ever gets loose on the radio we may never get our email to Mike answered again. The lead on this song is great. I'm glad that he's playing it live. I'm also happy to see Frank Briggs' contribution to BFD documented in a listenable form. Most bands have trouble finding one drummer that doesn't suck... Mike gets FOUR guys who play like monsters on the same CD. Anyway, I challenge anyone to listen to this song more than three times without having it take over their life.

Drum-Running: This song has a real ELP feel to it and has to be one of the best instrumental pieces ever written by Mike. Every section is great. The scary thing here is that Mike plays all the instruments! There has to be something that he is not good at, but you would never know it by listening to this. He does yield to Bryan for a wonderfully effected bass solo though. Bryan claims to not be much of a bass soloist, but that's a bunch of crap and this proves it.

Guy?: Right about now you are probably thinking "What the hell was that Brad dude talking about keyboards being all over the place?" Be patient. I love this song (just how much was Mike giving me for this review? [I don't know, but I get 40%, my friend.]). This may be my favorite song on the CD. There is such an intense feel to this song. Even when it lays back you feel like it's just barely able to get its breath. It's a great song, but the bass is what really makes it happen. Bryan's got this incredible big buzzy bass sound and every note has a purpose. I hereby dare him to duplicate this live. I almost forgot to say how totally bitchin' the lead is in this one.

Looking for Nina: Another flurry of Briggs! This song assures the listener that this IS a Mike Keneally album. It's an instrumental with spoken word that contains one of the coolest sounds ever recorded. It kind of sounds like the sound that my bass makes when I throw it up in the air and miss catching it. This is the kind of song that is fun to play in your car when you're giving a ride to somebody you don't know very well just to watch their face. Right when they are about to ask you to pull over so they can get out.

Frozen Beef: This song will also get you singing. One other thing. You can't make a bass sound like that with a pick. This is classic Beller and leaves no doubt as to why he's being featured in Bass Player. I like this song, and you will too. "Come with me, come with me!" [Potato, potato, potato.]

TRANQUILLADO: I'm hoping that someday Mike will explain to me why he writes so many songs about dogs (as opposed to gerbils [or mallards]). It appears that Mike's brief stint with the Steely Damned has had an influence on him, especially on the lead guitar section of this one. This is not one of my favorites, but it is growing on me. It doesn't sound like Bryan on the bass. No wonder (I just checked the liner notes); it's Mike. The piano outro reminds me of a Mahavishnu Orchestra song. Unfortunately my albums are deep in a storage unit enjoying subzero weather, or I'd look the name of it up.

What Happened Next: A great little bass solo of an instrumental. This sounds like Scott Thunes. Nope. Mike again.

Chatfield Manor: This song is beautiful (excuse me while I get a tissue). Even if I didn't know the wonderfulness of Scott, I think I'd like this song. Definitely Beller on bass here. The dynamics here are really cool. Once again Mike rips off a totally tasty and inspired lead. It really sucks reviewing a CD that is this hard to make fun of, and here Bryan led you to believe that my review would be funny. There are just too many good songs here for one album.

Beautiful: Here I thought the last song was beautiful. Another Steely Dan feel of a tune this one. Mike plays a great guitar line doubling the vocal (who was the first to do this anyways?). No doubt he can do it live too, probably while tuning, changing a string and eating a burrito at the same time [don't forget balancing his checkbook]. A nice song, although not one of my favorites [I, on the other hand, dug it greatly.].

I guess I'll Peanut: I guess you did. Another reminder that this is a Mike Keneally album.

Voyage to Manhood: Boom boom, out goes the Christopher Cross. A great boogie woogie tune here. Bryan just grooves on this one and plays some damn impossible parts as well. I like this song, In fact, I'm going to listen to it again (maybe it will get the potato out of my head, I doubt it). Hey Mike! I just bought a high powered ceiling fan for the new house tonight. Bring your own coasters.

Egg Zooming: I thought this was the same song as Drum-Running? Here's my nightmare: "Mike asks me to jam with him and he wants to play this song." Mike Mangini does an incredibly precise job on the drums for this one. This has a bit of a Mahavishnu feel to it, too. I'd actually pay extra to hear John McLaughlin sing "egg zooming!" The end really has some cool grooves and made me go searching the liner notes looking for Tommy Mars. No. It's Keneally again. There's got to be something he can't play.

Own: I'm feeling Mahavishnu again. Classic Beller. This has got to be his Fender Jazz. I like this song [so do I; I think it's my favorite on the disc, actually.]. It rocks. I really dig the quiet part before the lead. Mike is beyond tasty on this one. Have you ordered this CD yet? I hope they play this one live. I love the sustained bass chord at the end. I think I did that once and they made me do the track over and leave that out. Bastards.

I'm Afraid: Get the tissue again. Making fun of this would be like steamrollering a box of baby chicks. I'm not much for this kind of thing, but it's a nice song [oh buggery to every last silly unsappier-than-thou reviewer who slags this song just 'cause it isn't cock rock; I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in breeding and I think it's perfectly nifty.]. Mike's a lucky guy to have a family always waiting for him.

Cardboard Dog: More dogginess. This is more up my alley (since I have who dogs who play the part of my kids). Keyboards and harmonies, ahhhhhh. This has the ELP feel in places. I love the triplets at the end of the third lines of the verses. This song reminds me of "Ship Arriving Too Late" in the way it starts out as a lovely little song, then progresses into a demanding instrumental. Oh yeah, I could play that ( in my dreams, if I could stop singing Potato).

Sluggo: Mike makes us forget what an incredible guitar player he is. A nice way to end the album.

From front to back a totally solid and enjoyable album. If you can't find something you like here then something is really wrong with you. The only things that would have made it better are more bass solos and a song or two about gerbils [or mallards]. Potato, potato, potato.

--Brad Dahl [and Cami]

What with so many folks doing song-by-song reviews I think I'll just say this: Sluggo! is everything I had hoped for in my wait for new Keneally material. I am glee-filled with the hope that they might tour around here soon. Looking for Nina is one of my favorites, Why am I your Guy jams, and I love the "what the fu..what the hell is that noise" thing. I laugh out loud EVERY time. Great performances by all involved, though I have to say that there are some mix things that sound odd occasionally on different systems I've played it on. Final note: Briggs' drum fill that starts the album is glorious DRUM.

--Mike Lerch
mlerch@bigfoot.com

A best pal I turned onto Keneally early last year calls me from his imitation apartment in Austin:

"Hey! I've been listening to 'Sluggo!' for the last four days. 'Potato' and 'TRANQUILLADO' rock like fuck. Your opinion?"

"I don't fucking have it yet. I ordered mine *not* from Immune, and I don't have it yet."

"Oh, so you wouldn't know jackshit about 'Potato' and 'TRANQUILLADO'?"

"No, fuckwit."

"Say 'fuck' again, Dave."

"'Fuck again, Dave.' Good-bye."

Stay tuned!

--David Hicks

Hi, it's Oppy here again with another little musical tidbit. As I told Mr. BB, the vocal patch from the earlier album is to the upper-right hand side of the mix. If you're wearing headphones, simply take the left side off of your ear, and POOF-TAH!! The vocal patch can be heard muy easily. Although I also agree that the frog-like noise does resemble the "hat" patch from "hat." It is sort-of ironic that everyone's looking hard to find that vocal patch considering what "Looking For Nina" is about.

--Chris Opperman

Does the "Taco Physique" interlude make anyone else think of Mike Myers doing his SNL Sprockets bit?

--Jeff
js@maps.cs.cmu.edu

Hi. I am a she. I have listened to all or part of sluggo and other mike kenneally recordings (not because I purchased them, but because I live with someone who waited for sluggo for months. I too was having anxiety about it.) I think the music is great! Wonderful! My personal favorite is the title song, sluggo. To my ears, piano is the most awesome of instruments, and Mike, your playing is beautiful. It's easy to sound like you know what you're doing if you play guitar, but you can't hide behind a piano. And, you, Mike have nothing to hide in this regard.

Also, I find your thoughts about your daughter to be quite endearing. The world would be a happier place if more people loved their children as you do. (Question: would people have a problem with your expressing these thoughts if your daughter were a son?)

If you asked me to sing on one of your CD's Mike, my answer would be yes. It might be good for some of your all-male listeners, soften them up a little, you know. SOmetimes when I sing, grown men turn into little boys. They tell me all their problems.

Two final questions:

1) I teach fourth grade. We are studying rocks and minerals. I'm trying to figure out how to put "Help I'm A Rock" into a lesson. Any suggestions?

2) Do you fold your clothes before you put them away, or do you just stuff them in?

Sincerely,
--marion
thayerl@bc.edu

Mike Keneally makes me glad,
Writes music that's kickass bad,
Plays guitar like no other lad,
Come with me, come with me.
If Sluggo! cost a million bucks,
I'd go to record store and pick it up,
If they were out I'd say Aw Shucks...

Yeah, thats pretty cheezy, but anyway:

You know, we're kind of like a cult, with Keneally as our charismatic leader hell-bent on world domination. Only those in his inner-cirle know his true agenda, while we, his few but ravenously loyal followers, hang on his every word and deed hoping for a glimpse of the universal Truth. We willingly and excitedly make our daily pilgrimage to Keneally's Internet temple to genuflect in thanks for his generosity and sit in fearful awe of his greatness. Futilely, we contemplate the true scope of his power, knowing all the while that such an understanding is not ours to have: we can only accept his gifts of musical mastery and pray for a day when the unbelieving billions will come to love him as we do. Now that I think of it, didn't David Koresh take a shot at songwriting? And Manson, too? I hear Jim Jones blew a mean kazoo, and the UFO guy was a tuba player in high school.

By the way, Happy Birthday Mr. K!

The male, more attractive, 90's-version of Squeaky Fromm,
--Larry Martin
State College, Pa

Dammit !!!

Stuey (bestest friend and coolest drummer/musician this side of our fair country) says of Sluggo! and his girlfriend : "Kate says its much better than the usual shit that I listen to."

(BTW - the usual shit is Zappa, Bozzio, Stravinsky)

As for me, it is keeping me awake nights. More melody than a bucketload of stuff by anyone else. Mike, where do you find all this stuff ? (under your hat I guess). Stuey and I were never so excited after receiving Sluggo! so soon after The Tar Tapes from our wonderful pal Spencer at G+S Music (fine purveyors of all things Zappa-related in the U.K).

Stuey's comments on my answer phone sum it up (I was still it work, while he was listening to his copy, dammit!) :

- I am listening to Sluggo!...wooooooo!

- Erm, I just listened to Egg Zooming - SHIT!!!

Stu also wants it known that Toss rocks (and this coming from the guy who worships Terry Ted).

I wish it known that I haven't been so excited since...I don't know when. I was singing Egg Zooming on top of a whole series of Welsh mountains earlier today. The ghosts of several Roman Legionnairs and Welsh miners say "Wooo!"

--Steve Jones and Stuey Browne
Chester, U.K.

P.S. Dear Mike, sorry but Sluggo! has to share my CD player with Coltrane's V.V. Box set and EJ's First Nowell. Have a great Christmas, you sure made mine.

I cannot express myself in words well enough to describe each song track by track. I will just say that the entire CD in my opinion is truly great and inspiring. There really is nothing I don't like about any of the tunes. I can't say I have a favorite song (they're all equally good) but if I had to choose a desert island cut, it would be Tranquillado. I don't generally compare things, but in my ears I hear all in that one song MK, Joe Jackson, Steely Dan, Elton John, David Byrne, XTC, Mr. Rodgers (the trolley whistle,) Chicago (the horn patch after the solo,) "Don't Mess with my Toot-Toot" (any time I hear an accordian) and of course Frank Zappa. I also really enjoy, of all songs, What Happened Next. The feeling that little piece gives me is indescribable. I can't say enough how great MK, Bryan, and all who contributed on this and the other albums are. I know coming from me it doesn't mean much, but you bring great joy to my life, thank you.

"Too late to apple the doctor away,"
--Michael
hatbtds@aol.com

Sluggo!!! It slices and dices. But it doesn't mince words. Buy a copy and you may remain forever glued to your stereo headphones while the rest of the rat race passes you by.

--J.T.

1) Lawrence Welk would call each song on "Sluggo!" "another fine tune from a nice young man from California".

2) Even if Mike's glorious new CD was titled "Peanut" and there was a song on it named " I guess I'll Sluggo", the sun would STILL rise tomorrow and shine very brightly on Mr. Keneally and his awesome magically endowed musical friends.

3) Seven different drummers on one CD and NO overdone cymbals? Amazing feat unto itself!

4) If only Mike could get Simon Le Bon to join BFD, there would be A LOT more chicks at Mike's concerts and buying "Peanut". Bonus: Bryan could then take home all of the panties and bras thrown on-stage during the show to wear after the show himself!. A Win/Win proposition here for sure. ;~) Work the Simon angle, Mike.

5) FACT: A person attempting to drift-off to sleep while listening to "Sluggo!" will assuridly awake the next day minus 73 minutes of REM sleep.

6) Mike uttered, on a previous album, the words "Thank you for buying Hat". Now it's OUR turn--everyone say this together on three; "Thank you for making "Sluggo!". Ready? One , two, three.....

Sleepily yours,
--Fil McCrackin

I finally received my copy of Sluggo! Even though I'm in the midst of my annual Zappa pilgrimage (listening to my Zappa CD collection ('75) in chronological order between 12/4 (anniversary of his death) and 12/21 (anniversary of his birth), I just had to pause and listen to Sluggo! There is so much to this disc it is hard to describe it after only one listen. What is initially obvious is that MK/BFD have topped themselves again. This is the best sounding, best looking, best performed disc they have done so far. My first run through favorites are "Potato", "Frozen Beef (Come With Me)" , "Egg Zooming" and "I'm Afraid". There is a wide range of musical stylings and lyrics to Sluggo! It will take many more listenings to integrate this into my brain, and I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks to Mike, Bryan and the many drummers and vocalists for a fantastic musical feast.

--Douglas O'Neill

Focused, pure and simple. Thank you.

--Don Gravatt

So I gets the CD...finally.

Being the "New Media" wonk I be, I stared at the CD cover for a few minutes trying to figger out the fonts...and how many seconds it took to create the DEAD KITTY FACE...

After the initial listening-to, here's what:

"Potato" puts me in mind of a track on the second side of a Rush album from the last nine years...you know, the tracks where Ged, Al, and Neil experiment...a straightforward rocker that when performed live comes two songs before "The Spirit of Radio"...

"I, Drum-running" is a little Joe Jackson, a little "Boil That Dust Speck," a little Zappa (I can't think of what track specifically...it'll come to me on the subway or something...I dunno...I'm thinking "Drowning Witch" right now)...

"Guy?" is very cool...me like to sing the chorus...loud...b-b-b-Beller's bass sounds neat...can I direct the video? I envision MK making goofy Chevy Chase faces during the bridgelet between the first chorus and the second verse...I'm also seeing a field of daisies...a high school reunion...this song also reminds me of Foo Fighters...

"Nina" is a [SOMETHING] LIKE FUCK song...man, is it somethin' else...like someone else said, "it's Residents-ey"...the taco physique bit is cool...so what's next? "Looking for Pinta"?

"Frozen Beef" is a nice sing-along kind of ah-fah...kinda "hat."-ish...as for looking like Marcia Clark...musta been a bad hair day...

"TRANQUILLADO"...I love it, I love it...

"What Happened Next" is nice...what's the vocal part doing? Should I recognize it?

"Chatfield Manor"...does it take a little over eight minutes to get there? Well, from *somewhere* it does...

It is "Beautiful" to hear Chad Wackerman's name sung in a song...and I'm sure I am one of many to think "The Dangerous Kitchen"...but not as sordid, or pathetic, a narrative...and I dig the trashcan lid/steel cymbal accent...

"Peanut" is darker and darker...how 'bout a tune called "I Guess I'll Peanuts"? (In concert Beller could dance like Shermy during the keyboard solo...maybe quote "Linus and Lucy" or "Christmas is Coming" on the bass...)

AND THEN I HAD TO USE THE BATHROOM.

Part three...stay tuned!

--Dave Hicks

A highly wonderful album Sluggo is... after listening to Beautiful about twenty times, I have a three-part harmony for it (Mike and guitar, second vocal mostly below, second guitar mostly above). Playing that is no end of fun!

Ever since my bands broke up I've been craving new obtuse melodies to absorb... it's been my lucky week!

--Craig Latta
latta@interval.com

Well, I could give the brief review: Totalfuckingrelease; nay, and I will say more. I'm real pleased with all the chords that involve 9ths when superimposed over the bass line. "Potato" could be a hit single, I very muchly like the I-iv-vi progression at the beginning and the measure with the beat chopped out of it pre-chorus. "Drum Running" has some beautiful quintuplets. Mike have you been listening to Hindemith?

I really like a lot of the chord progressions on the disc. Lots of feeling. "Tranquillado" has the Joe Jackson/riverdance vibe. I LOVE that song. The melody...mmm. "Chatfield manor" has another of the cool progressions/change of mode.

One noticeable thing is Mike's greater conviction in the notes he plays, over the whole album. I'm pleased that this album is more up than "Dust Speck", however, Mike, you promised me more flatted 6ths--where are they?

"Voyage into manhood", I like the 7/8 over the bass stabs in 4/4. Cool dark chords in the verse. I haven't been able to absorb "Egg Zooming", because of its length, but I'm working on it. "Cardboard Dog" fulfills a longing in its melody, or is it a longing melody? Beautiful nonetheless.

I really like the instrumental breaks, the verging on atonality is oppressive yet uplifting. (Yeah, I have a music degree). The humor isn't quite as solid as "Hat", but...

Best album of 97.(next to hanson)

--Toby Graves
Tacoma, Wa

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Part One
Part Two
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six

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