Young Heart Attack
Mouthful of Love (XL) It’s about damn time for a bloodshot, bleary-eyed, Texas road trip. Rev the Charger’s Hemi, stash the stash under the seat, and pop in some Who or Zeppelin. A healthy slice of Humble Pie and a pinch of Nuge. And for Pete’s sake, don’t forget Back in Black. Can you smell the melting blacktop? The border’s a mirage away, and Young Heart Attack is sittin’ bitch. Mouthful of Love is a short ride to a good time, a hair over 35 minutes of drug-addled, sex-crazed, head-bangin’ metal. Frenchie Smith’s riffing and Chris Hodges’ screaming carry this album through the Seventies, but it wouldn’t hold its weight in powder without Jennifer Stephens. This chick can wail, and she’s the only thing pulling YHA out of the Supagroup-Amplified Heat-Supersuckers whirlwind. “Tommy Shots” shows off the Hodges-Stephens two-time, “Starlite” doesn’t stop, and “Misty Rowe” begs for another shot of whiskey. MC5 cover “Over and Over” matches the Attack like Camels and Pearl, but “El Camino” and “Sick of Doing Time” wash down Miller Lite in a Lone Star world. Nevertheless, YHA is burning rubber past every white belt in town, so a border run might be a little risky with all this smoke. Fuck it. Let’s just go downtown.
This article appears in May 14 • 2004.