Turbonegro
Scandinavian Leather
Burning Heart

Enough. Stop the hype. Please. Or; the hype stops here!

I really, really don't understand the massive hailing of this band over the last few years. Yes, I can admit they do have a couple of catchy songs, and they know how to kick (kiss?) ass. Singer 'Hank' even "burns ass" doing is butt-miniature-fireworks-trick. But when it comes to music they end up in the copycat bag. Thievery by all means, which means even stealing from themselves. They love glitter and glam, and the roar and groan of R-O-C-K music. But allover I feel it's pretty harmless in the end. Ending as a party gimmick only. Of course they act rock'n'roll, and live rock'n'roll. So what. Most times posing looks rather way-off, either it's from a distance or close up.

By judging some of their titles (and lyrics) - "Wipe It 'Til It Bleeds", "Sell Your Body (To the Night)", "Gimme Some", "Train of Flesh" - I get these Spinal Tap visions in my head. Or any self-parodic HM band from the bad-hairday 80s (not to say 90s, or 70s). Humor? Probably, but shallow indeed. Parody? Not intentionally I guess. I do have some sense of humor (at least I hope so...), and I don't say lyrics are meant to be all 'serious' (a la Michael Stipe's fuzzy-wuzzy-foggy-wooly string of consciousness). But...well... the Turbonegro-tainment machine... In the end most suckers end up with the bread'n'circus dish. Myself; at least I want the Dictators to be chefs'n'acrobats.

To these ears Scandinavian Leather is sort of musical "grand theft", but not grand rock. I rest my case.

Copyright © 2003 Håvard Oppøyen