The King in Yellow Review
I apologize for those thinking this was a review of the Robert W. Chambers book, which, by the way, I have recently purchased and look forward to reading. First and foremost, a positive of The Dead Milkmen’s latest album is that I came across the book from the 19th Century, which sounds like it should be a really good read. I will probably review it once I’ve read it, but, for now, on to the Milkmen.
The King in Yellow / William Bloat opens and is a wonderful song and perfect to open the album. Sounds like it’s going to be an instrumental before William Bloat’s story comes into play a little ways in. Someone posted all the songs on Youtube, so you can go look for them if you’d like a sample listen – I’m not going to link them here. Immediately, the listener is given a sense that this is a Dead Milkmen record, especially when Rodney’s voice is introduced, but it’s also a contuation of The Dead Milkmen sound. It probably would’ve been easy to just write “new” material that just sounded like the old. Hell, it’s been 15+ years since the last record. Change the chord progression a little, and you have yourself 17 new songs. Nope. This sounds like The Dead Milkmen would’ve sounded if they had continued to play.
Standouts also include Meaningless Upbeat Happy Song, where you are warned not to trust the happy because the happy are insane. Perfect Rodney material, showcasing how sad and dispicable the world is that we live in. “If someone says ‘Jesus loves you,’ run away.” Can’t Relax is a movin’ Joe number that makes me want to sing along. Commodify Your Dissent is another beautiful Rodney song, which calls out both Rap and Country music perfectly (Jam Master Jay and Johnny Cash died for them…). Solvents (For Home and Industry) is a song I really equate with The Dead Milkmen. It’s a Joe song that ends the record and pretty much deals with environmental issues (in the vein of “Watching Scotty Die”), where the song praises all that Solvents can do, while throwing in some jabs at the dangers of using them. I could actually list the whole record as standout songs. If you liked the Milkmen at all, pick this up. You can order on iTunes or pick up the CD from their website. Definitely one of their best records. Read a review of a recent show in Chicago where they said it was just electric and great – been 7 years maybe since I last saw them – it was their first reunion show, so it was amazing. Glad to hear they are keeping that energy going.
