Customer Reviews

Onward Christian Slater

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

 

 

Wow. It's been a while since an album stuck in my mind this long. I've kept this on my playlist for almost a year now, and I'm still not tired of it. And no, I didn't fall in love with it right away... it took me several listens to have it "bite" me. But now I can't stop listenting to it. To be honest, I am a big fan of Bert's band, The Ziggens, and was a little worried about this solo offering would sound. We've all been dissapointed by solo albums before. But this awesome blend of rock, surf, punk, country, romance and good ole fashion Bert Susanka humor just simply works. Geeze, I think I'm sounding like his mom or something, but I will say that the dude can flat out write lyrics and put together a solid, entertaining, memorable album with the best of them. I'm gonna be playing this one for years.

If you are familar with the Ziggens you already know Burt is a huge talent. The music here is a bit different from the classic Ziggens sound - much more polished with far better production values. Musical styles range from a classic surf sound to rock, country and many more. The lyrics range from hilarious to thought-provoking. Highly recommended.

1. Onward Christian Slater - great title with a classic surf/tex-mex sound. This could be a soundtrack for a future Tarantino film.
2. Goin' Fishin' - catchy pop tune about blowing off responsibilities with some truly quirky lyrics.
3. So Many Tears - slower song with interesting effects, beats and rich lyrics that paint a picture of loneliness and loss.
4. Living Check to Check - upbeat song with a great hook/chorus. One of the best songs on the CD.
5. The Trip That Needed To Be Took - avante garde surf music, spoken word performance with a surf bum/southern Cally beach feel.
6. Surfin' All The Time - classic Beach Boys sound with lots of humor and a nice sax/Dick Dale bridge. One of the best on the CD.
7. When All The Beer Is Gone - funny, upbeat duet. The woman has a great voice (sounds a bit like Alanis Morissette). Another goodie.
8. The Vicissitudes of Life - humorous and laid back with a reggae-like beat. The guitar riff sticks with you for a while. Great!
9. Houseguest - upbeat, funny pop song with interesting lyrics, nice guitar sound and surprising sound effects. Another great one.
10. I'm In Love - wonderfully upbeat with more great lyrics. It's impossible to listen to this and not be happy. One of the best.
11. They Don't Want Me (In The NBA) - rap experiment gone horribly wrong. Some humorous lyrics but the chipmunk-like lyrics ruins it.
12. I Am So Sorry - slower song with a nice beat, interesting lyrics and a wonderful guitar echo effect. Builds to a wonderful close.
13. Let's Go Fishing - happy, smooth pop song about finding out if you really love each other. Great hooks. Another great one.
14. You Cannot Count On Me - fast-paced pop rock with funny lyrics and a great grungy guitar sound.
15. The River And The Tree - mellow religious song with interesting sounds (guitar echo, flute, sound effects). Great lyrics.
16. ICD9300.00 - surprising start rips into a catchy punk/surf instrumental that's a hell of a lot of fun. Another great one.
17. Jill - another fun start that sounds like country but becomes a fun/punk sound with a great chorus. One of the best!
18. It's Alright - mellow closer with a surprising sax and great guitar echo effects. Intriguing lyrics, great chorus. One of the best!

I really enjoyed this CD! The variety of lyrics and the tongue in cheek humor was a delight. Mr. Susanka is a very talented artist and worth the listen. If you are looking for more like this try his Ziggens CDs too...fun fun fun music.

As a long time Ziggens fan I knew that this would be a good buy. Burt is an awsome song writer and even if you have never heard of him or the Ziggens you should give this guy a listen. My favorite is 'I'm In Love' and my least favorite is 'they don't want me in the NBA' (which is the only reason I gave this a four). this is a cool album and I have enjoyed it very much in the last few weeks I have owned it. Give it a shot and if you like it then give the Ziggens a shot too.