Kings of Nuthin’ bounce on the relatively little-tread territory twixt punk, jump blues-jazz, and rockabilly on Fight Songs. The mid-20th century roots elements are supplied by the saxes, piano, washboard, and standup bass. The punk comes across in the manic fast tempos, fuzzy guitars, singer Torr’s gruff half-or-more grunt-shouted vocals, the hardcore-like trade-offs between the lead singing and backup anthemic choruses, and abrasive lyrics. You are not, after all, apt to hear swing or rockabilly bands play songs titled “Shit Out of Luck,” “Iron Out the Irony,” or “Fight Song for Fuck-Ups.” The words are full of the frustration and disillusionment common to zillions of punk records, yet the music makes it all rather genial and good-natured. That’s not a bad thing, actually; better to deliver such sentiments in a novel setting than an incredibly clichéd hardcore punk one. This is still a bit of a novelty rather than a musical breakthrough, and the quality and variety of the material aren’t outstanding, but they deserve acknowledged points for twisting ossified styles. – Richie Unterberger
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