Eugene Chadbourne With Evan Johns and the H-Bombs
Vermin of the Blues (Fundamental, 1987)Chadbourne’s Austin debut with Johns’ H-Bombs backing opens upending rockabilly on “We Tried to Make a Record but We Couldn’t Get It Together” but quickly veers toward the bizarre with the noise assault of “Rakeman”. The H-Bombs keep pace through “Johnny Cash in the Phillipines,” the off-kilter title track, and fuzzed freak-out of “Psychotic Reaction.”
Eugene Chadbourne and Evan Johns
Terror Has Some Strange Kinfolk (Alternative Tentacles, 1993)“Achey Rakey Heart” famously disembodies Billy Ray Cyrus’ hit, but Johns’ rough howl on exemplary guitar stomp “Redneck Jazz,” the bluesy “Mister Jones,” and delicate closer “Living in the Country” balance Chadbourne’s eccentric nasal whine. Political riffs such as “George Bush’s Bones Jig” and “Desert Storm Chewing Gum” cut with both spite and levity, and “Killbillies” unloads backwoods madness.
The Jack & Jim Show
Pachuco Cadaver (Fire Ant, 1995)The Jack & Jim Show
Uncle Jimmy’s Master Plan (House of Chadula, 1996)
The best output from Chadbourne’s and Jimmy Carl Black’s extensive collaborations, these albums meld the pull of their predecessors with their own unique avant visions. Puchuco pays homage to Captain Beefheart in raucous, warped blues, Black’s vocals bruising into Chadbourne’s banjo and guitar on “Willie the Pimp” and “Drop-Out Boogie.” Master Plan captures the duo’s natural chemistry live and dishes three Zappa tunes.
(Pachuco)
(Uncle Jimmy)
Texas Sessions
(House of Chadula, 2000)Former Houstonian Susan Alcorn proves pedal steel as versatile as Chadbourne’s guitar, but trombonist David Dove adds the odd twist to Walter Daniels’ harp. Willie Nelson’s “Things to Remember” and “Slow Down Old World” are faithful by Chadbournian standards, but Doug Sahm’s “Everybody Gets Lonely Sometimes” and the 11-minute “Revolutionary Ways” and “I Don’t Want” medley rock radically.
Texas Sessions: Chapter Two
(Boxholder, 2002)More straightforward but no less playful than its predecessor, Chadbourne’s tribute to Sahm with Speedy Sparks and Ernie Durawa on rhythm grooves affectionately through “Old Habits Die Hard” and “Cowboy Peyton Place/Can’t Go Back to Austin,” while “She’s About a Mover/Ta Bueno Compadre” and “You Can’t Hide a Redneck” roll. Chadbourne’s originals also get touched with Tex-Mex flavor.
This article appears in December 12 • 2008.
