Messed!Up
Alright! Time for another fanboy review! Let’s head over to East London where Chubby and his gang hail from. They arrived in the scene sometime in 2019, released their debut album in 2020 and took the (punk rock) world by storm; fierce riffs, played at top speed, combined with tongue-in-cheek lyrics and an attitude that oozes classic Rock’n’Roll swagger.
Fast forward a year and the five-piece have released their second album The Mutt’s Nuts. And nuts it is! From the first song (and title track) on, the rhythm section tries to win a race against themselves. Chubby’s hoarse voice is captivating. And the listener is taken on a wild journey through all the best ingredients that punk, pub rock, classic rock and 50s pop (and a few genres more) have to offer. All while displaying that swagger and outlaw attitude that made AC/DC seem the most dangerous band in the world back in the 70s. Or as their record label puts it: “A casual ‘fuck it’ on one side, an active ‘fuck off’ on the other.”
On the A-side’s last song “Take Me Home To London”, the gang even manages to slow down for a moment before increasing the speed again on the B-side – culminating in a furious finale with “Lightning Don’t Strike Twice” (the album’s best song) and “I Hate The Radio”.
The pop art-like artwork is as wild and colourful as the music itself and makes a lasting impression with its over the top cartoon characters. Some of those can also be seen in the lyric book that is part of the deluxe edition release. Hand-drawn by the band members themselves, it gives a further glimpse into the wild world of Chubby and his gang. And to fully enjoy the trippy artwork inside the gatefold cover, there’s 3D glasses included as well. Nicely done, lads!
(By the way: a repress of 2020’s Speed Kills is also available in a creative edition: It comes with a black and white version of the colourful cover artwork – and some crayons to color it yourselves. Go check it out!)
**********
Chubby and the Gang pages
