Reverend Horton Heat
Smoke 'em If You Got 'em

THE REVIEW

Nothing better than a nice review to inaugurate the new laptop!

In this case, I decided to review a Psychobilly album, a very particular genre that fuses horror punk and '50s Rockabilly. Reverend Horton Heat is a very famous band among fans of the said genre: they are a Texan trio composed of Jim Heath, guitarist nicknamed "Reverend Horton," Jimbo Wallace on double bass, and drummer Patrick Bentley; the band initially played covers around Texas, transitioning to a real music career with the change of bassist and drummer. "Smoke 'em If You Got 'em" is the debut album of the band, released between 1990 and 1991. It is possible to identify all the typical characteristics of the band and the genre: a very present guitar, an effervescent drum, and a decisive double bass in giving rhythm to the songs. What you hear is a lively sound, particularly indicative are "Bullet," an absolutely effective opening track, "Marijuana," another well-chosen piece, and "Psychobilly Freakout," the band's real manifesto (the title is absolutely indicative), a very fast and explosive track where the title is shouted uniquely. Besides more distinctly marked tracks, there are other songs that draw from the Rockabilly repertoire, notably "Eat Steak." Some tracks are entirely instrumental while others feature Heath and Wallace on vocals, who adapt well to the music they try to propose.

Listening to Reverend Horton Heat constitutes a unique experience that deserves to be lived, perhaps with the album in the stereo imagining racing through the Texan desert surrounded by oil wells and dilapidated shacks.