Brown Whörnet
12.15.99 (Pecan Crazy)
Oh what a crazy night this must’ve been. 12.15.99 captures Brown Whörnet’s cacophonous riptide of sound as it inundated the Triple Crown in San Marcos late last year. Though the sound on this 19-song live recording is somewhat muddled, particularly on the louder songs, it does give you a fleeting taste of Brown Whörnet’s grab-bag ferocity. Witness the 1-2-3-4 punch of “Your Dick Is Small,” “Kill Your Parents With an Axe,” “Gunz,” and “Ass Boss.” Each song is about 10 seconds long, as if to out-punk generic hardcore’s militaristic rigor. Then there’s “Wake Up Call,” a New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars tune given credible yet amped-up treatment by this Austin ensemble. “Arsenio’s Fat Black Ass ’98,” a song that originally appeared on Brown Whörnet’s excellent self-titled outing from last year, assumes additional bass-driven frenzy in a live context, while Stin-G-B’s pitch-shifted wailing on “Mr. Unicorn” acts as both sedative and hallucinogen. And just when you think you’ve had enough, they bust out with Iron Maiden’s “Number of the Beast.” It’s not quite the same as being there, but 12.15.99 is a worthwhile souvenir of Brown Whörnet’s considerable live prowess. 
This article appears in September 29 • 2000.
