The rumors are TRUE!The best cowpunk band of ALL TIME is back in action and ready to kick YOUR ass! The demolition continues... after an overwhelming response to several sold-out reunion shows, the Kentucky-bred band Nine Pound Hammer (on hiatus since 1996) has just released a NEW album of supercharged, gear-grinding, shotgun-wielding rock'n'roll. Known for their steamroller brand of buzzsaw guitar country-punk and energetic live shows, these hellacious, garage rock shit-stompers like it loud and dirty. "Real life has left us even more RAW, BITTER and MANIC than when we were young pups," drawled Scott Luallen, the razon-throated lead singer. Guitarist Blaine Cartwright (Grammy-nominated lead singer of Nashville Pussy) said, "Now more than ever, with so much CRAP ROCK out there, and so many LIGHTWEIGHT 'alt-country' bands, we are pissed off and ready to show these little shits how it's done." For press/media inquiries, including digital images, please contact: sara@ninepoundhammer.net To obtain a cd for album reviews, please contact Acetate Records: (1221 S. Burnside Ave.,Los Angeles, CA 90019) For a history of the band and its members, please see the HISTORY page For a history of albums and other recordings, please see the DISCOGRAPHY page Nine Pound Hammer's current lineup: Blaine Cartwright (founding member): guitar Scott Luallen (founding member): vocals Brian Pulito: drums Earl Crim: bass (Earl recently replaced Matt Bartholomy. Matt B. played bass on the recording of Kentucky Breakdown) NINE RECENT REVIEWS of "Kentucky Breakdown": Reviewed For: Lowcut Zine (Europe) Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): HOT FUCKIN' DAMN!!! I was beyond ecstatic when I heard Blaine (Nashville Pussy) and singer Scott Luallen toured last year with a reformed Nine Pound Hammer, one of my ALL time fave punk'n'roll combos. And fortunately it sounds like not one day have passed since their 1994 masterpiece "Hayseed Timebomb". "Kentucky Breakdown" is burstin' with fast, fucked-up and furious countrypunk redneck anthems about crazy women, alcohol, guns, shitty jobs and violence (all delivered with tongue firmly in cheek). Blaine's buzzsaw guitar molestin' has never been rougher and more raw sounding, and Scott's awesome 'good old boy' southern vocals connects it all so perfectly that it (almost) made me forgot the shitty weather and program at Roskilde (Festival) 2004. Songs like "Dead Dog Highway", "Rub Yer Daddy's Lucky Belly", "Don't Remember Lovin' You Last Night", "Go-3-Go" and "Chicken Hi, Chicken Lo" are pure fuckin' therapy for an ol' angry rock'n'roll boozehound like me! By the way, the album kicks off with a delirious intro from Sam Peckinpah's classic gore western "The Wild Bunch", what more do you want?? BUY OR I WILL KILL YOUR ASS, MOTHERFUCKER!!!! (Rating: 5 out of 5) Reviewed by Jens. Reviewed For: BabySue.com Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Pounding loud redneck rock. Nine Pound Hammer is Blaine Cartwright's "other" band. The big ol' big hairy badass motherf*cker is best known as the leader of the critically acclaimed Nashville Pussy. Kentucky Breakdown is the first full-length from the band since 1998. Joining Cartwright is original lead vocalist Scott Luallen and the newly recruited rhythm duo of Earl Crim (bass) and Brian Pulito (drums). Nine Pound Hammer is loud and powerful. The tunes are driven by Cartwright's fat juicy signature guitar sound. He plays loud, loose, and tight at all times...and is obviously one of the greatest axe-slingers of all time. The rest of band matches Blaine's intensity...playing with all the fury and intensity of guys who have just learned how to turn up and play. This album is as humorous as it is danceable...great drinking music. Pounding head crunchers include "Rub Yer Daddy's Lucky Belly," "Double Super Buzz," and "Goddamn Right" (easily the best cut on the album). Killer stuff. (Rating: 5) Reviewed by: Jeffrey Tennant Reviewed For: YOUBORED.com Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Nine Pound Hammer is going to show us how to rock out with their country out! One of the most interesting records crossed over my desk today; it is called "Kentucky Breakdown" from Nine Pound Hammer. This record comes out on May 2, 2004 and I am going to recommend it. It is kind of Punk, Kind of Rock, and a little bit of Country ok, a lot of Country. Now, I don't like Country music, so don't get too worried. It just has this interesting country sound that you have to hear to believe! This has got to be the best Hardcore country band in the world! or maybe the only one? This is the exact music that the West Coast needs! Bring it on Nine Pound Hammer! We will see you when you come on tour! NPH has been in all the rock reviews in the early 90's! Now they are back to show us how it is done! This is their first full length studio recording in over 7 years, PPH features original members Scott Luallen and Blaine Cartwright (lead singer of the Grammy nominated Nashville Pussy), backed by some of Kentucky's finest, bassist Earl Crim and drummer Brian Pulito. Website: http://www.underthevolcano//////////////// Reviewed by: Roger Moser Reviewed For: UNDER THE VOLCANO Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Like a fully loaded Peterbuilt 18-wheeler haulin' ass down the interstate, Nine Pound Hammer stirs up an ear-mangling ruckus of epic, earth-trembling proportions. Kentucky Breakdown is a 14-track sonic tornado of blazing, redneck-style Rock n' Roll that can only be created by four hammer-fisted, hillbilly hellions who obviously listened to nothing but Johnny Paycheck and Motorhead when they were youngsters. The vocalist roars with a thick, backwoods drawl that sounds like he's got a big ol' chaw of Red Man chewin' tobacco tucked firmly in his cheek while slobbery globs of brown-stained spit spastically shoot out of his snaggle-toothed mouth. The musical accompaniment is pure locomotive-driven fury of the sort to be heard during a shit-stomping barroom brawl in Hell. Hot damn, I'd be willing to swear on a towering stack of Holy Bibles that these Kentuckian marauders probably occupy their spare time by breeding coon dogs, hunting squirrel, romping through the mud in souped-up monster trucks, and catching freshwater catfish with their bare hands. Betcha they sup on nothin' but possum roadkill stew, corn whiskey straight out of the jug, and soggy, heavily salted collard greens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, too. Yep, Kentucky Breakdown is as Southern-fried and rockin' as it gets, so grab yourself a heapin' helping of it today if'n ya know what's good for you. (CD)-Moser Reviewed by: Newt Briggs Reviewed For: Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Rating: three out of five stars As a young whippersnapper, Blaine Cartwright was probably the kind of salty dude who huffed spray paint and slugged cough syrup just to make himself feel normal. These days, though, the Nine Pound Hammer guitarist--on hiatus from Nashville Pussy--looks a little worse for wear with his bloated pot belly, sweat-stained Ted Nugent T-shirt and bald head (don't be fooled by the cascade of hair trickling down the side). In fact, the entire band, which hasn't put out an album since 1997's Smokin' Taters (NO! incorrect! the last studio album was HAYSEED TIMEBOMB), looks like it might not have the energy to chase down a gaggle of emo kids and beat them to a whimpering pulp with printouts of their online journals. My, my, these are sad days indeed. Still, if "Rub Your Daddy's Lucky Belly," the first song on Kentucky Breakdown, is any indication, Cartwright and Nine Pound Hammer seem to be taking their decline in stride: "So roll me a joint, fix me a turkey pot pie/ It's just another damn day on the long way to die." Actually, this kind of charming defeatism runs through all the songs on Kentucky Breakdown--an album that's as much an homage to old age as it is to rock 'n' roll excess. Anchored by Cartwright's white-thrash riffs and Scott Luallen's cowpunk yowl, the Kentucky foursome plows through 13 country-core ditties about slaughtering chickens for dinner ("Chicken Hi, Chicken Lo"), going Rambo on the local police ("Ain't Hurtin' Nobody") and getting good and liquored up (all songs but "800 Miles"). There's even a song about Dale Earnhardt ("Go-3-Go"), which is prefaced by Darrell Waltrip's description of seeing the Eliminator creeping up in his rearview mirror. Granted, Nine Pound Hammer's pro-intoxication, anti-intellectual approach has been tried before (see Wisconsin's Killdozer), but rarely with this much authentic redneck verve. After a few listens, Kentucky Breakdown may have you believing that, contrary to Dean Wormer's opinion, "fat, drunk and stupid is a good way to go through life." Reviewed by: Dale Merrill (dm) Reviewed For: Smashin Transistors, in Port Huron, MI http://smashintransistors.homestead.com Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): NINE POUND HAMMER "Kentucky Breakdown" (Acetate CD) If I still had a way to record music to an 8-track cartridge I'd make a copy of this for my uncle Cyril to play in his old truck on Saturdays when my aunt Doris let's him drive it a 3 miles down their dirt road to the tavern at the crossroads where he tries to hustle the pool table. More times than not he tries to pick a fight and everyone in the bar humors him because he's older than dirt and starts staggering after his second jigger. His always ends with his head on the bar and aunt Doris taking the tractor down there, slumping him over a fender and hauling him back so he can sleep it off on the back sun porch til she makes him get up and drag his hungover ass to the early morning chuch service. Reviewed by: Paul Gaita Reviewed For: SLEAZEGRINDER Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Nine Pound Hammer came out swinging from its hometown of Evansville, Indiana (NOTE: THIS IS INCORRECT--sic) with gearhead metal in one meaty paw and Southern boogie in the other, and proceeded to drive those spikes deep into the crusty heads of garage freaks across the South and Midwest. After about eight million name and lineup changes, guitarist Blaine Cartwright grabbed his mighty-mite of a wife, Ruyter Suys, and formed Hell's Half Acre, which, as every good sleaze beast knows, further mutated into Nashville Pussy. Now, seven years after the last NPH record, Cartwright and singer Scott Luallen have returned to the terror farm with the umpteeth version of the Hammer, this time with Earl Crim on bass and Brian Pulito on drums. Kentucky Breakdown is basically like old times for Cartwright and Luallenit's straight-up Hillbilly Thunder Rock, with Luallen and Cartwright's iron-hided yokel vocals and the latter's almighty guitar kicking up a major electrical shitstorm. Plenty of fat dudes with pawnshop guitars and Mason-Dixon line accents can sling high-octane country punk that sounds like Nine Pound Hammer, but the band's secret weapon has always been its lyrics, which with their focus on being lazy, stupid, losing your woman to the dumb bastard next door and just plain fucking up your life across the board in the pursuit of double-malted happiness, have the wry humor and shit-luck shaggy-doggedness of great country songs. Combine that with all-needles-in-the-red production by Dave Barrick (Hookers/Nashville Pussy), a cover of Dancing Outlaw Jesco White fave "If You Want To Get To Heaven" ("You've gotta raise a little hell") by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils and an audio clip from The Wild Bunch, and whaddya got? A house afire, baby, so just step out of the way and watch those flames get their groove on. Reviewed For: SLEAZEGRINDER (again) Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): So, I guess hardcore porn's answer to Ted Nugent, Nashville Pussy, are currently on some kinda hiatus, cuz NP main mustache Blaine Cartwright done high-tailed it back to Kentucky and reunited, yet again, with his old band, shitkicker punk n' roll legends Nine Pound Hammer. The 'Hammer kick-started in 1985, rolled on for ten years, til Blaine formed Nashville Pussy in '95, and has been an off-and-on (mostly off) proposition since then. However, for the last cuppla years, they've been making triumphant appearances at the annual Dixie rock n' roll BBQ blowout the Sleazefest, so they figured, why the fuck not, right? Let's take the bitch for another ride. That's the thing about goin' back to the trailer park, man. Unless there was a tornado, or they opened up a new mobile peep-show, ain't nothin' gonna change down there, ever, so NPH 2004 sound pretty much like they did in the mid 80's, or the mid 90's, or how they will ten years from now- like some Southern rock band fried on Angry Samoans singles. That's just the way it is, Jack. "If You Want to Get to Heaven" is the sole Pussy-style rocker, a big ol' arena-ready riff n' roller, and it rocks like crazy, but otherwise, it's more of what ya came for- fast, gangly, mean, redneck rock n' roll, with traces of chugging rockabilly and tinges of C&W, but mostly flat-out punk fuckin' rock, with lotsa hilariously depressing lyrics about alcoholism and getting fat and dying in yr Lazy-boy, barked out with complete conviction by Scott Luallen, who has been down that goddamn road so many times, he can draw you a map from memory. I'm not sure if yer supposed to laugh along with these cats, or cry. Probably both. I will tell ya this much, tho. If yr lookin' for trucker hat/belt buckle wearin', PBR drinkin', fist-fightin', ass-fuckin' Dixie-punk, you can't possibly get more authentic than this. And Kentucky isn't even IN the South, really. Say Yeehaw, somebody! Reviewed by: Frank Meyer, Contributing Editor Reviewed For: KNAC.com Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Nine Pound Hammer Kentucky Breakdown: 4 stars Tuesday, June 1, 2004 @ 12:04 AM Fans of Nashville Pussy know that frontman Blaine Cartwright came from another kick ass Southern rock boogie outfit, Nine Pound Hammer. This mean 'n' nasty four piece found Cartwright on guitar while monster thug-hick Scott Luallen assumed vocal duties (and some tasty geetar too) in the form of a much more countrified, stripped down, psychobilly sound. If Nashville Pussy are cleansing their pallets with AC/DC and Rose Tattoo, then NPH pick their teeth with Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Jason and the Scorchers and, of course, the almighty Motorhead. In other words, fans of Reverend Horton Heat may dig this, but they best be warned -- this is much cruder, cruddier, all over nastier stuff, and may scare ya once and awhile. Well, never one to let a week go by without rockin', Cartwright got his band of merry pranksters back together again for a series of live shows and this here album while the Pussy was taking a break between, and reinvigorated the Hammers long enough to get them back on the live circuit to promote it. Kentucky Breakdown might be a reunion album of sorts, but make no mistake about it, these fuckers ain't lost an ounce of their piss, power and rage. From the breakneck openers, "Rub Yer Daddy's Lucky Belly" and "He Done Run Outta Worms," you know these boys ain't fuckin' around and this is on some hillbilly death trip type shit. Sounds like these hellhounds drink gasoline and shit nails to me! Songs like "Dead Dog Highway" and "Zebra Lounge" tell detailed stories of life on the run, riding down the highway, and just generally being a badass. "Drunk Tired & Mean" is hard rockin' anthem if ever there was one, and "Don't Remember Lovin' You Last Night" is a not-so-tender ode to a one night stand (complete with '80s references to Motley Crue and Judas Priest). Cartwright takes the vocal reins for the hilarious "Chicken Hi, Chicken Lo" and Johnny Cash's "If You Want To Get To Heaven" is given the balls to the wall hard rock work out it so deserves. Yes, nary an ass is left unkicked on this here platter Despite the band's raw sound, Kentucky Breakdown has terrific production, courtesy of Dave Barrick, who captures their loud and proud live attack in all of it's glory, yet gives them enough twang and breathing room to assure the little bit country ain't sucked out of the little bit of rock 'n' roll. All in all, a mighty fine mess. "Often imitated, never equaled, NPH roar back onto the scene with their bourbon-soaked brand of punk rawk and roll. This is their fifth release and first studio record in seven years. Returning are original members Scott Laullen (lead vocals) and Blaine Cartwright (of Nashville Pussy fame)." The fifth release from notorious Louisville (um, NO! this is incorrect, NPH is from Owensboro/Lexington!) shit-dealers NINE POUND HAMMER, and the band's first new studio album in seven years. A raw, bitter, and manic blast of no-frills rock'n'roll, delivered bourbon-soaked and old-man mean by original members SCOTT LUALLEN and BLAINE CARTWRIGHT (NASHVILLE PUSSY), along with battery mates MATT BARTHOLOMY and BRIAN PULITO. |
NINE POUND HAMMER MEDIA CONTACT PAGE & RECENT REVIEWS www.NinePoundHammer.NET |
This page was last updated
on: August 2, 2004
The rumors are TRUE!The best cowpunk band of ALL TIME is back in action and ready to kick YOUR ass! The demolition continues... after an overwhelming response to several sold-out reunion shows, the Kentucky-bred band Nine Pound Hammer (on hiatus since 1996) has just released a NEW album of supercharged, gear-grinding, shotgun-wielding rock'n'roll. Known for their steamroller brand of buzzsaw guitar country-punk and energetic live shows, these hellacious, garage rock shit-stompers like it loud and dirty. "Real life has left us even more RAW, BITTER and MANIC than when we were young pups," drawled Scott Luallen, the razon-throated lead singer. Guitarist Blaine Cartwright (Grammy-nominated lead singer of Nashville Pussy) said, "Now more than ever, with so much CRAP ROCK out there, and so many LIGHTWEIGHT 'alt-country' bands, we are pissed off and ready to show these little shits how it's done." For press/media inquiries, including digital images, please contact: sara@ninepoundhammer.net To obtain a cd for album reviews, please contact Acetate Records: (1221 S. Burnside Ave.,Los Angeles, CA 90019) For a history of the band and its members, please see the HISTORY page For a history of albums and other recordings, please see the DISCOGRAPHY page Nine Pound Hammer's current lineup: Blaine Cartwright (founding member): guitar Scott Luallen (founding member): vocals Brian Pulito: drums Earl Crim: bass (Earl recently replaced Matt Bartholomy. Matt B. played bass on the recording of Kentucky Breakdown) NINE RECENT REVIEWS of "Kentucky Breakdown": Reviewed For: Lowcut Zine (Europe) Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): HOT FUCKIN' DAMN!!! I was beyond ecstatic when I heard Blaine (Nashville Pussy) and singer Scott Luallen toured last year with a reformed Nine Pound Hammer, one of my ALL time fave punk'n'roll combos. And fortunately it sounds like not one day have passed since their 1994 masterpiece "Hayseed Timebomb". "Kentucky Breakdown" is burstin' with fast, fucked-up and furious countrypunk redneck anthems about crazy women, alcohol, guns, shitty jobs and violence (all delivered with tongue firmly in cheek). Blaine's buzzsaw guitar molestin' has never been rougher and more raw sounding, and Scott's awesome 'good old boy' southern vocals connects it all so perfectly that it (almost) made me forgot the shitty weather and program at Roskilde (Festival) 2004. Songs like "Dead Dog Highway", "Rub Yer Daddy's Lucky Belly", "Don't Remember Lovin' You Last Night", "Go-3-Go" and "Chicken Hi, Chicken Lo" are pure fuckin' therapy for an ol' angry rock'n'roll boozehound like me! By the way, the album kicks off with a delirious intro from Sam Peckinpah's classic gore western "The Wild Bunch", what more do you want?? BUY OR I WILL KILL YOUR ASS, MOTHERFUCKER!!!! (Rating: 5 out of 5) Reviewed by Jens. Reviewed For: BabySue.com Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Pounding loud redneck rock. Nine Pound Hammer is Blaine Cartwright's "other" band. The big ol' big hairy badass motherf*cker is best known as the leader of the critically acclaimed Nashville Pussy. Kentucky Breakdown is the first full-length from the band since 1998. Joining Cartwright is original lead vocalist Scott Luallen and the newly recruited rhythm duo of Earl Crim (bass) and Brian Pulito (drums). Nine Pound Hammer is loud and powerful. The tunes are driven by Cartwright's fat juicy signature guitar sound. He plays loud, loose, and tight at all times...and is obviously one of the greatest axe-slingers of all time. The rest of band matches Blaine's intensity...playing with all the fury and intensity of guys who have just learned how to turn up and play. This album is as humorous as it is danceable...great drinking music. Pounding head crunchers include "Rub Yer Daddy's Lucky Belly," "Double Super Buzz," and "Goddamn Right" (easily the best cut on the album). Killer stuff. (Rating: 5) Reviewed by: Jeffrey Tennant Reviewed For: YOUBORED.com Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Nine Pound Hammer is going to show us how to rock out with their country out! One of the most interesting records crossed over my desk today; it is called "Kentucky Breakdown" from Nine Pound Hammer. This record comes out on May 2, 2004 and I am going to recommend it. It is kind of Punk, Kind of Rock, and a little bit of Country ok, a lot of Country. Now, I don't like Country music, so don't get too worried. It just has this interesting country sound that you have to hear to believe! This has got to be the best Hardcore country band in the world! or maybe the only one? This is the exact music that the West Coast needs! Bring it on Nine Pound Hammer! We will see you when you come on tour! NPH has been in all the rock reviews in the early 90's! Now they are back to show us how it is done! This is their first full length studio recording in over 7 years, PPH features original members Scott Luallen and Blaine Cartwright (lead singer of the Grammy nominated Nashville Pussy), backed by some of Kentucky's finest, bassist Earl Crim and drummer Brian Pulito. Website: http://www.underthevolcano//////////////// Reviewed by: Roger Moser Reviewed For: UNDER THE VOLCANO Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Like a fully loaded Peterbuilt 18-wheeler haulin' ass down the interstate, Nine Pound Hammer stirs up an ear-mangling ruckus of epic, earth-trembling proportions. Kentucky Breakdown is a 14-track sonic tornado of blazing, redneck-style Rock n' Roll that can only be created by four hammer-fisted, hillbilly hellions who obviously listened to nothing but Johnny Paycheck and Motorhead when they were youngsters. The vocalist roars with a thick, backwoods drawl that sounds like he's got a big ol' chaw of Red Man chewin' tobacco tucked firmly in his cheek while slobbery globs of brown-stained spit spastically shoot out of his snaggle-toothed mouth. The musical accompaniment is pure locomotive-driven fury of the sort to be heard during a shit-stomping barroom brawl in Hell. Hot damn, I'd be willing to swear on a towering stack of Holy Bibles that these Kentuckian marauders probably occupy their spare time by breeding coon dogs, hunting squirrel, romping through the mud in souped-up monster trucks, and catching freshwater catfish with their bare hands. Betcha they sup on nothin' but possum roadkill stew, corn whiskey straight out of the jug, and soggy, heavily salted collard greens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, too. Yep, Kentucky Breakdown is as Southern-fried and rockin' as it gets, so grab yourself a heapin' helping of it today if'n ya know what's good for you. (CD)-Moser Reviewed by: Newt Briggs Reviewed For: Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Rating: three out of five stars As a young whippersnapper, Blaine Cartwright was probably the kind of salty dude who huffed spray paint and slugged cough syrup just to make himself feel normal. These days, though, the Nine Pound Hammer guitarist--on hiatus from Nashville Pussy--looks a little worse for wear with his bloated pot belly, sweat-stained Ted Nugent T-shirt and bald head (don't be fooled by the cascade of hair trickling down the side). In fact, the entire band, which hasn't put out an album since 1997's Smokin' Taters (NO! incorrect! the last studio album was HAYSEED TIMEBOMB), looks like it might not have the energy to chase down a gaggle of emo kids and beat them to a whimpering pulp with printouts of their online journals. My, my, these are sad days indeed. Still, if "Rub Your Daddy's Lucky Belly," the first song on Kentucky Breakdown, is any indication, Cartwright and Nine Pound Hammer seem to be taking their decline in stride: "So roll me a joint, fix me a turkey pot pie/ It's just another damn day on the long way to die." Actually, this kind of charming defeatism runs through all the songs on Kentucky Breakdown--an album that's as much an homage to old age as it is to rock 'n' roll excess. Anchored by Cartwright's white-thrash riffs and Scott Luallen's cowpunk yowl, the Kentucky foursome plows through 13 country-core ditties about slaughtering chickens for dinner ("Chicken Hi, Chicken Lo"), going Rambo on the local police ("Ain't Hurtin' Nobody") and getting good and liquored up (all songs but "800 Miles"). There's even a song about Dale Earnhardt ("Go-3-Go"), which is prefaced by Darrell Waltrip's description of seeing the Eliminator creeping up in his rearview mirror. Granted, Nine Pound Hammer's pro-intoxication, anti-intellectual approach has been tried before (see Wisconsin's Killdozer), but rarely with this much authentic redneck verve. After a few listens, Kentucky Breakdown may have you believing that, contrary to Dean Wormer's opinion, "fat, drunk and stupid is a good way to go through life." Reviewed by: Dale Merrill (dm) Reviewed For: Smashin Transistors, in Port Huron, MI http://smashintransistors.homestead.com Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): NINE POUND HAMMER "Kentucky Breakdown" (Acetate CD) If I still had a way to record music to an 8-track cartridge I'd make a copy of this for my uncle Cyril to play in his old truck on Saturdays when my aunt Doris let's him drive it a 3 miles down their dirt road to the tavern at the crossroads where he tries to hustle the pool table. More times than not he tries to pick a fight and everyone in the bar humors him because he's older than dirt and starts staggering after his second jigger. His always ends with his head on the bar and aunt Doris taking the tractor down there, slumping him over a fender and hauling him back so he can sleep it off on the back sun porch til she makes him get up and drag his hungover ass to the early morning chuch service. Reviewed by: Paul Gaita Reviewed For: SLEAZEGRINDER Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Nine Pound Hammer came out swinging from its hometown of Evansville, Indiana (NOTE: THIS IS INCORRECT--sic) with gearhead metal in one meaty paw and Southern boogie in the other, and proceeded to drive those spikes deep into the crusty heads of garage freaks across the South and Midwest. After about eight million name and lineup changes, guitarist Blaine Cartwright grabbed his mighty-mite of a wife, Ruyter Suys, and formed Hell's Half Acre, which, as every good sleaze beast knows, further mutated into Nashville Pussy. Now, seven years after the last NPH record, Cartwright and singer Scott Luallen have returned to the terror farm with the umpteeth version of the Hammer, this time with Earl Crim on bass and Brian Pulito on drums. Kentucky Breakdown is basically like old times for Cartwright and Luallenit's straight-up Hillbilly Thunder Rock, with Luallen and Cartwright's iron-hided yokel vocals and the latter's almighty guitar kicking up a major electrical shitstorm. Plenty of fat dudes with pawnshop guitars and Mason-Dixon line accents can sling high-octane country punk that sounds like Nine Pound Hammer, but the band's secret weapon has always been its lyrics, which with their focus on being lazy, stupid, losing your woman to the dumb bastard next door and just plain fucking up your life across the board in the pursuit of double-malted happiness, have the wry humor and shit-luck shaggy-doggedness of great country songs. Combine that with all-needles-in-the-red production by Dave Barrick (Hookers/Nashville Pussy), a cover of Dancing Outlaw Jesco White fave "If You Want To Get To Heaven" ("You've gotta raise a little hell") by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils and an audio clip from The Wild Bunch, and whaddya got? A house afire, baby, so just step out of the way and watch those flames get their groove on. Reviewed For: SLEAZEGRINDER (again) Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): So, I guess hardcore porn's answer to Ted Nugent, Nashville Pussy, are currently on some kinda hiatus, cuz NP main mustache Blaine Cartwright done high-tailed it back to Kentucky and reunited, yet again, with his old band, shitkicker punk n' roll legends Nine Pound Hammer. The 'Hammer kick-started in 1985, rolled on for ten years, til Blaine formed Nashville Pussy in '95, and has been an off-and-on (mostly off) proposition since then. However, for the last cuppla years, they've been making triumphant appearances at the annual Dixie rock n' roll BBQ blowout the Sleazefest, so they figured, why the fuck not, right? Let's take the bitch for another ride. That's the thing about goin' back to the trailer park, man. Unless there was a tornado, or they opened up a new mobile peep-show, ain't nothin' gonna change down there, ever, so NPH 2004 sound pretty much like they did in the mid 80's, or the mid 90's, or how they will ten years from now- like some Southern rock band fried on Angry Samoans singles. That's just the way it is, Jack. "If You Want to Get to Heaven" is the sole Pussy-style rocker, a big ol' arena-ready riff n' roller, and it rocks like crazy, but otherwise, it's more of what ya came for- fast, gangly, mean, redneck rock n' roll, with traces of chugging rockabilly and tinges of C&W, but mostly flat-out punk fuckin' rock, with lotsa hilariously depressing lyrics about alcoholism and getting fat and dying in yr Lazy-boy, barked out with complete conviction by Scott Luallen, who has been down that goddamn road so many times, he can draw you a map from memory. I'm not sure if yer supposed to laugh along with these cats, or cry. Probably both. I will tell ya this much, tho. If yr lookin' for trucker hat/belt buckle wearin', PBR drinkin', fist-fightin', ass-fuckin' Dixie-punk, you can't possibly get more authentic than this. And Kentucky isn't even IN the South, really. Say Yeehaw, somebody! Reviewed by: Frank Meyer, Contributing Editor Reviewed For: KNAC.com Text of Review (in case weblink is faulty): Nine Pound Hammer Kentucky Breakdown: 4 stars Tuesday, June 1, 2004 @ 12:04 AM Fans of Nashville Pussy know that frontman Blaine Cartwright came from another kick ass Southern rock boogie outfit, Nine Pound Hammer. This mean 'n' nasty four piece found Cartwright on guitar while monster thug-hick Scott Luallen assumed vocal duties (and some tasty geetar too) in the form of a much more countrified, stripped down, psychobilly sound. If Nashville Pussy are cleansing their pallets with AC/DC and Rose Tattoo, then NPH pick their teeth with Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Jason and the Scorchers and, of course, the almighty Motorhead. In other words, fans of Reverend Horton Heat may dig this, but they best be warned -- this is much cruder, cruddier, all over nastier stuff, and may scare ya once and awhile. Well, never one to let a week go by without rockin', Cartwright got his band of merry pranksters back together again for a series of live shows and this here album while the Pussy was taking a break between, and reinvigorated the Hammers long enough to get them back on the live circuit to promote it. Kentucky Breakdown might be a reunion album of sorts, but make no mistake about it, these fuckers ain't lost an ounce of their piss, power and rage. From the breakneck openers, "Rub Yer Daddy's Lucky Belly" and "He Done Run Outta Worms," you know these boys ain't fuckin' around and this is on some hillbilly death trip type shit. Sounds like these hellhounds drink gasoline and shit nails to me! Songs like "Dead Dog Highway" and "Zebra Lounge" tell detailed stories of life on the run, riding down the highway, and just generally being a badass. "Drunk Tired & Mean" is hard rockin' anthem if ever there was one, and "Don't Remember Lovin' You Last Night" is a not-so-tender ode to a one night stand (complete with '80s references to Motley Crue and Judas Priest). Cartwright takes the vocal reins for the hilarious "Chicken Hi, Chicken Lo" and Johnny Cash's "If You Want To Get To Heaven" is given the balls to the wall hard rock work out it so deserves. Yes, nary an ass is left unkicked on this here platter Despite the band's raw sound, Kentucky Breakdown has terrific production, courtesy of Dave Barrick, who captures their loud and proud live attack in all of it's glory, yet gives them enough twang and breathing room to assure the little bit country ain't sucked out of the little bit of rock 'n' roll. All in all, a mighty fine mess. "Often imitated, never equaled, NPH roar back onto the scene with their bourbon-soaked brand of punk rawk and roll. This is their fifth release and first studio record in seven years. Returning are original members Scott Laullen (lead vocals) and Blaine Cartwright (of Nashville Pussy fame)." The fifth release from notorious Louisville (um, NO! this is incorrect, NPH is from Owensboro/Lexington!) shit-dealers NINE POUND HAMMER, and the band's first new studio album in seven years. A raw, bitter, and manic blast of no-frills rock'n'roll, delivered bourbon-soaked and old-man mean by original members SCOTT LUALLEN and BLAINE CARTWRIGHT (NASHVILLE PUSSY), along with battery mates MATT BARTHOLOMY and BRIAN PULITO. |
"The RAMONES in a pick-up" BILLBOARD "If Johnny Cash had a teenage son that was heavily into the Ramones, Stooges and maybe alcohol." FLIPSIDE "Raw, melodic, and energy ridden! Swamp-boogy-surf approach with punk chord changes" Maximum Rock'N'Roll "Hellacious shit-kicking hillbilly punk rock---one gut-punch of a record" GUITAR "They'll have you stompin' up and down like a crazed chimp!" BEN IS DEAD "One step ahead of madness!" HEARTBEAT, Germany "Guitar-heavy blasts that will smash you down like a runaway MACK truck. It's Johnny Cash slam-dancing. It's Clint Eastwood bare-knuckle boxing." New Musical Express "Thundering Punk like a combination of Motorhead and the Reverend Horton Heat" Excite.com Reviews "A devastating crazed hoedown of maniac proportions!" SOUNDS |
