Bloodhound Gang - Hefty Fine (2005)
Bloodhound Gang return in 2005 with their first album in five years. This album was origionally gonna be called "Heavy Flow" but to quote Lupus Thunder, the bands guitarist "So it turns out that Moby has released a track called 'Heavy Flow' so the new album name is 'Hefty Fine' ". I obtained this album early due to it being leaked over torrent website. Hefty Fine is a completly new sounds for Bloodhound Gang, well almost. The album focuses more towards heavy techno/trance but don't worry follow rock fans! There are pure rock tracks too! This album was speculated to be the last by fans on the bloodhound gang message boards but after a few emails to Lupus, he told me that they have more material they want to finalise, then they will be putting together another album. The Hefty Fine album tour will last from October 2005 to the end of 2006, so a new album would most likely be out in 2007/2008. We can only wait in hope. The album has 13 tracks, 3 are skits.
1. Strictly For The Tardcore (0:09)
This is a short skit, ripping into Eminem, I laughed hard at this but I'm not reviewing it.
2. Balls Out (4:19)
This is a very different Bloodhound Gang song, the genre of this track I would say is industrial metal. There is a repetative heavy guitar line that flows throughout the song with Jimmy Pop (Singer) and Q-Ball (DJ) rapping over it. I can picture this to be a total mosh fest when played live. The song itself is pretty long for a Bloodhound Gang song but it is a very good opening track to the album. It was a good surprise to hear really heavy Bloodhound Gang.
4/5
3. Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo (2:52)
This is the first single to be released from the album, and it was also the first video to be recorded for the album (the second is being shot in Germany soon). This song is typical Bloodhound Gang. It is pure rock number to which the initial letter of the title spells a banned explititive. It has been banned from some radio stations due to this but there are no swear words at all, though the lyrics are euphamisms for sexual intercourse (Vulcanize the whoopie stick, in the squish mitten, for example). This song is a fantastic piece of work, no Q-Ball in this song, but thats ok because a DJ would probably have ruined this song.
5/5
4. I'm The Least You Could Do (3:58)
This song is probably my second favourite on the album. Everything about this song rocks. It has a techno intro which quickly goes into an awesome heavy guitar progression. The chorus is what I like so much about this song I think (I'm the least you could do/in only life were as easy as you). This song isn't a rap song, and it doesn't sound like anything else Bloodhound Gang song. When I heard the intro keyboard 'riff' I thought 'oh no' but then when I listened for about ten seconds later it was like 'Oh YEAH!'. I hope this is released as a single as it really ought to be. The guitar rocks in this song.
5/5
5. Farting With A Walkman On (3:26)
This song is a slow paced song and it is very repetative - but thats the joke. I have yet to gather the full meaning of this song, but it has a good lead outro by Lupus - good to hear him do at least some form of a guitar soloish thing. Not much to write about but it is kinda familier to "All Your Friends Are Make Believe" from the 1996 album, One Fierce Beer Coaster.
3.75/5
6. Diahrrea Runs In Tha Family (0:23)
Another skit, this one is a phone call that goes "I'm on the toilet so this message may sound like ***" followed by the squirting of a bottom. Entertaining to hear.
7. Ralph Wiggum
This is the albums best track - even though its argueabley not a Bloodhound Gang song (lyrically). In this song the lyrics are entirely made up of quote from Ralph Wiggum, who I shouldn't have to explain is of Simpsons fame. I remember when earlier this year Bloodhound Gang released schnippets of tracks and I heard Ralph Wiggum and nearly creamed. It sounded like old school Bloodhound Gang rock and this is exactly what it is. Everything flows so well, especially the sing-a-long chorus of "yv-an-eht-ni-oj!". Straight out powerchords with some lead really makes this song awesome. Kudos to the guys, who watched EVERY single episode of The Simpsons to write down the quotes of Ralph Wiggum. The lyrics aren't sound grabs from the episodes, but they are Jimmy singing them. The chorus isn't actually a Ralph quote though, its Ralph dad, Police Chief Wiggum "Ralphy (ralphy) get off (get off) the stage (the stage) sweetheart (sweetheart)". If their is one track you are anticipating most, it should most definetly be this one.
5/5
8. Something Diabolical (5:10)
Another one of the best tracks on this album. This song is a slow evilish song, which to me is VERY remenisant of Golden Eye 64/Perfect Dark for the Nintendo 64 (musically). The song uses synth a lot and the guitar isn't obvious (no distortion in this song. Jimmy vocals alternate between the left hand speaker and out the right. The singing changes between speakers for every line (and sometimes in the middle of lines). The chorus in this song (heaven maybe running on empty if the devil rides) is sung by the singer of HIM (or HER in USA) I usually hate HIM but his vocals really help complete the song. I love this song, and like I said, it reminds me of N64, which is even more of a bonus.
5/5
9. Overheard In A Wawa Parking Lot (0:04)
Jimmy pretending to be a homeless drunk (possible african-america) man speaking complete garbage, all that you can really make out it "...cause yo' ***** staaank".
10. Pennsylvannia (2:57)
This track was released through the bands website and it is pure BHG rock, like Ralph Wiggum (churning out power chords). I like this song, the verses mostly begin with "we are...". Bloodhound Gang have voted to use this song as the official Pennsylvannia state song and made a petition, which a link to can be found on their website, www.bloodhoundgang.com. This is a good, straight out rock track.
5/5
11. Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss (4:20)
This song is very much a dance/house song, remenicant of Effiel 65's "Blue", though I interprate this as a dig at dance music, as it goes "I've got something, and it goes thumpin like this/all you need it, my Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss", which I read as 'this is the basic structure for songs like this'. This is probably my least favourite song on the album, as I can only take so much techno before I get a bit annoyed and this is the track that has the bit too much trance in it. If you are a fan of trance music I think you'll quite like this. I believe this song would've been better with some distortion from Lupus, but nope, he clean in this track.
3/5
12. Jackass (2:26)
This is an old Bloodhound Gang song, that was origionally going to be used for the TV show 'Jackass' but it wasn't. This song is straight out rock again and it is awesome. I think this track is on the Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back movie OST too. The lyrics are entertaining, hope they play this live in November!
5/5
13. No Hard Feelings + Hefty Fine (9:14)
This song, as I believe, is planned to be released as the second single, and this song, I believe is Jimmy singing about a past relationship from a girls point of view. Anyway, musically, this track is trancey but trancey in a 'im the least you could do way' in that there are distortion breaks by Lupus. This song has a controversial line which I find entertaining, call me morbid, or disrespectful, but whatever, its just lyrics, the lyric is; "I'm missing you like a hijacked flight on september eleventh". The actual song finishs at about fourish minutes then there is silence until 9:11 when Bam Marjera, a close fan of the band says "This is bam and hidden tracks dick *** out".
Album Rating: 4.5/5.
Overall I see this album as a huge success (despite the lack of songs). I think that this may well be the most popular Bloodhound Gang album. Anyway, the album is out on 27th Of September (23rd if you are a lucky German!) and I hope my review has convinced y'all to at least buy it!
