SWADDLE ME IN SKRONK

Royal Trux? Yeah, I’ve got one of their elpeez. I have the debut elpee. It’s called Royal Trux. It came out in 1988, but I didn’t pick it up until 1993 when Drag City re-released it. My copy is in MINT condition because I only played it once. I did not care for it. The record sounded lethargic, which made me feel lethargic, like triple-gravity-lethargic. Maybe it was the times. 1993 was a good year. The Jesus Lizard and Cows both had records out in 1993, and they occupied most of my time and certainly did not make me feel like I’d just taken a handful of Valium. Quite the opposite.

WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS? Because Rad Times Xpress IV is by Black Bananas, and Black Bananas are a funkified version of RTX, and RTX itself was not Royal Trux, but Jennifer Herrema was/is, and Jennifer Herrema is THE BLACK BANANA. See?

Heroin grrrl, ex-Calvin Klein model, and forever-rocker Herrema has a very sweet disc here. From the beginning and through the first three tracks, Black Bananas create the low-down, dirty feel of an old Baretta episode, heavy on the wah-wah and delay, but without the stupid cockatoo or the golden-hearted hookers. The trippyness culminates in “Acid Song” (of COURSE!) where Herrema’s voice shape-shifts alongside space-wheeze and some HOTT guitar action that would make Ernie Isley turn around and notice.

Track Four is where we HIT THE SKRONK. “Hot Stupid” is a steamy hot fuss of Les Paul (Or Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird? Both?) guitars, Herrema sass, beats, cowbells, and the words “hot stupid” repeated over and over, which is hysterical. “RTX Go-Go” downshifts briefly back into trippy, but when “Do It” cranks up its military beat, its air raid sirens, skuzzy bass notes, sampled vocals, laser weapons, zero-point generators, and pounds it all into the shape of a Funkadelic number, shit … it’s game on. Next up is “Rad Times,” which the Black Bananas completely knock out of the park. “Rad Times” is exactly what I want to hear the moment I’m walking into a party crowded with friends who are dancing and kissing my grinning face as they hand me strong and fancy cocktails. Imagine what would’ve happened if Prince walked into a Revolting Cocks recording session with a bunch of girls he picked up at a party in say, 1987. They would’ve had to have mailed any and all recordings they’d done together to THE FUTURE, because 1987 couldn’t have handled it. That’s what “Rad Times” sounds like.

The rest is a little anti-climactic, if only because of the radiant, joyful heat of that super-funk trifecta middle that gives the elpee it’s bell curve. The rest slides back into (loud) teevee cop show stoner rock and roll and the party ends quite like it began, but listen… if Jennifer Herrema ever makes an entire elpee chock full of hot full-on funk nuggets, watch out. It’ll rain mustaches, bell bottoms, and platform shoes with goldfish in the heels, and she will rule the world.