The Supersuckers are the only band in the world that could release an album called Motherfuckers Be Trippin’ without sounding hokey or just plain ridiculous. In fact, it sounds kind of cool. Of course, this is possible only because the Supersuckers, and able leader Eddie Spaghetti, don’t take themselves too seriously. However, what they do take seriously is rockin’ out– and that’s something that they’re still doing quite well 13 years into their career.
Album opener “Rock-n-Roll Records (Ain’t Sellin’ This Year)” is classic Supersuckers. Big riffs informed by years of binging on Thin Lizzy and Motorhead albums pull the listeners in as Spaghetti tells the truth about how much it sucks to be a band out there busting ass to make good records and put on rocking shows only to watch as worthless 3rd rate bands go platinum. Ever the optimist, in the end Spaghetti decides to stick to his guns and keep rockin’ his way–which sets the tone for the rest of the album quite well. This album sounds like a Supersuckers album, and it will never be mistaken for anything else (especially not any lame flavor-of-the-week) and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Of course, most of the songs don’t have messages that are quite so, um, serious (see “Are You Ready” for lines like “I’m Eddie Spaghetti/Here to rock your asses steady/Grab a drink and chug-a-lug/Have some sex and take some drugs”), and that’s just fine. The Supersuckers are essentially the ultimate party band: their songs are fun, but the music is solid, with plenty of blazing solos and big choruses, and you get the feeling that they’d take a break between songs to have a drink with you (if you’re buying).
“Pretty Fucked Up” would be a radio hit were it not for the prevalence of the f-word in the chorus. The ultra catchy union of Thin Lizzy hooks and Cheap Trick sing-along style choruses and punk attitude (“She used to be pretty/Now she’s pretty fucked up”) make this song absolutely irresistible and sure to be inducted into the Supersuckers’ canon of classics alongside “Coattail Rider,” “Creepy Jackalope Eye” and “Santa Rita High.”
The lackluster “Nowhere Special” is a rip-off of the ‘suckers’ own “Born With A Tail,” making it the low point of the album (but a Supersuckers throwaway is still better than any of the garbage passing for “rock” these days–Sum 41, American Hi-Fi, Creed, Pete Yorn–I’m looking at you).
While last year’s Country & Western-driven Must’ve Been Live was an impressive collection, Trippin’ will satisfy the old school fans who’ve been asking where the rock went. The boys are back in town, and they’re drunk. – Karen E. Graves