Customer Reviews

Here Comes Trouble

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Scatterbrain was one of those bands that deserved more attention than they got. Especially with this, their debut, "here comes trouble", which also happens to be their best. There's plenty of excellent guitar work. 3 of the band members came from the punk/thrash band Ludichrist. (singer, 2 guitarists) Musically, the cd is happy sounding metal/thrash/funk with plenty of catchy guitar riffs. A few covers, including Earache My Eye by Cheech & Chong, Mozart's 3rd Sonata, and a Ludichrist cover called Down With The Ship, in which they play parts of many different songs. Sort of a "name that tune" type of thing. On that track, they play pieces of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendricks, Yes, Doors, Metallica, Van Halen, Aerosmith and one or two others. Not too many people remember this band, but when this album first came out, I was an immediate fan since I was already a fan of Ludichrist. They played in Atlanta twice on this tour and they were great both times. This is a great cd for metal fans to listen to when they're in a good mood. Just an all-around happy, comedic cd.

I have to say that I am aging myself on this, but looking at all the reviews, I am glad that I ain't the only one that remebers this band. I remeber watching the OLD Headbangers' Ball" on MTV and seeing 'Don't call me Dude'. Judt the way that they did the song made me a believer. Then when I heard the album, I thought it was awesome. I must have worn out three of them in as many months. I highly recomend it!!!

Hands up if you remember Scatterbrain. OK, there are a few hands there. Hands up if you remember any Scatterbrain songs other than "Don't Call Me Dude". OK, very few.

Yep, poor old Scatterbrain, cursed by that hoary old affliction, the novelty single. "Don't Call Me Dude" is a tale of psychosis induced by the Californian predilection for calling people "dude". Basically, some dude (oops!) steals lead singer Tommy Christ's girlfriend, and every time he hears the word after that he flies into a homicidal rage. Still with me? Listen to the song and it all becomes clearer, Doo-wop intro and outro included.

"Don't Call Me Dude" received huge attention and was also well promoted on the back of a hilarious video. There was a bit more to Scatterbrian than just one song though.

Basically, the whole of 'Here Comes Trouble' is a novelty from start to finish. Scatterbrain was well named, because some of the ideas on the album are... well... random. "Earache My Eye", the comically camp Cheech and Chong number, receives Scatterbrain's odd treatment. "I'm With Stupid" is a song about growing a second head, which happens to be brain damaged. "Down With The Ship" is kind of an oddity, borrowing and sampling from other songs. Not just a few songs, a LOT! It's fun to play "spot the riff" while listening to the song. You'll hear Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, and quite a few others I can't identify. There's also a whirl through Mozart's "Sonata #3". So much for side one.

Side two is much the same - a tribute to Tommy Christ's willy, a poke at censorship, the infamous single, and finally a tragi-comic beatnik take on why milkmen shouldn't drive drunk.

So what's the music like? Imagine Faith No More on happy pills and you won't be far off the mark. Far from the heaviest thing you'll ever hear, Scatterbrain skirts a fine line between thrash and funk metal. The guitar pairing of Glen Cummings and Paul Nieder are highly versatile, bassist Guy Brogna could slap it with the best of them, and drummer Mike Boyko seemed to enjoy his double kick drums.

Unfortunately, Scatterbrain sank from view, not through lack of good ideas, but seemingly through poor timing. If 'Here Comes Trouble' had been released a couple of years earlier and they may not have been drowned in the plaid clad grunge tide.

If you like the tight musicianship of King's X, the "Goodtime Party Boys" image of the OLD Chili Peppers, Infectious Grooves, or the hard funk of pre-Angel Dust Faith No More this album is for you.

I fell for these guys back in the day because of the over played "Hey dude don't call me dude" but as soon as I popped this disc in I knew I had a keeper for life. I lost this damn disc but came across it in a move and after turtle waxing the defacements away I ripped it to iTunes and have been enjoying it for days now. Chili Pepperesque grooves and some plain good old fashioned metal jams give a rocked out party experience like none other. Get ready for some frenetic bopping and head shaking and chair jamming when you put this on.

I GOT THIS ALBUM ON CASSETTE WHEN IT 1ST CAME OUT. I LOST IT A FEW YRS. LATER. I FINALLY GOT THE CD AFTER NOT HEARING THIS GEM FOR ALMOST 20 YRS. I FORGOT WHAT A GREAT ALBUM IT IS. I HAVE ALL THEIR CDs, BUT THIS IS, BY FAR, THE BEST. I WISH THEY AND "UGLY KID JOE" WOULD BOTH REUNITE, PUT OUT NEW ALBUMS, THEN TOUR TOGETHER. TALK ABOUT A CAN'T MISS TOUR. I KNOW, KEEP DREAMING. IT STILL WOULD BE SWEET.

Not much can be said about this offering except you should have it in your collection. Talented musicians coupled with some real fun ideas culminated in a record that few bands could create.

Go get one and hear what I mean!!!

This album has an amazing ability to transport you back to the days when "Banging your head" was Hype. These guys really knew how to mix the popular styles of comedy with fast pumping, bass thumping, crowd jumping metal music and throw in just enough Motzart to to make you wonder if scales were ever ment to be played at "Break neck" speed. This album is by far one the best of the 90's music. Though not one of the most popular, this one showed off the genius guitar and bass licks that people are still working on 13 years later.