Supersuckers

Get The Hell (2014)

TomTrauma

"If you don't like the Supersuckers, you don't like rock 'n' roll".– Lemmy Kilmister. There are a few people on this earth that I would never argue with, and Motorhead mastermind Lemmy is certainly one of them. The Supersuckers have been on my radar since the mid 90's. I saw them open for White Zombie and the Ramones, and had their Sacrilicious Sounds LP. I recently saw them at a small club, and decided to check out their new record.

Get The Hell is the Supersuckers 9th studio album, to go along with a slew of singles, splits and live recordings. The first thing I observed was how good this thing sounds, crystal clear and perfectly mixed. After a brief intro, things kick into overdrive with three barn burners, "Get The Hell", "Something About You" and "Fuck Up". It's definitely a return to their punk/hard rock roots. Twelve songs in 35 minutes, without even one typical boozed drenched ballad. In the middle of the album is a charged up version of Depeche Mode's "Never Let Me Down Again". Kind of an odd choice for a cover song, but well executed.

The Supersuckers have frequently gone down the country music rabbit hole over the course of their long career. You can feel that subtle influence, even on this collection of ragers. A little harmonica here, a little slide guitar there. The term cow–punk was invented for bands like this. The album closes with "Rock On", a song that seems to sum up their current attitude (and live show).

Eddie Spaghetti and company have managed to survive more than two decades on the fringes of the music industry. The self proclaimed "Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World" has done it again. This album is amazingly good for this point in their existence. If you're unfamiliar with the band, I recommend starting with Sacrilicious Sounds. That being said, Get The Hell is a worthy addition to their already impressive catalog.