Review Summary: The world is on fire and this is the Disco Inferno
As a late thirties millennial also coming to terms with their own obsolescence, “Make America Fuk Again” is a nigh perfect distillation of how everything feels right now. The song’s genre blend is pretty wild even if you’re aware of how Johnny Blue Skies nee Sturgill Simpson rolls, driven by a throbbing disco beat topped with deadpan country vocals, swelling builds, and flailing psych rock guitar. The lyrics fit into that whiplash as they try to make sense of the madness entrapping us all with calls for revolution, distorted self reflections, and plenty of one-liners along the way.
That opener’s momentum doesn’t falter as Mutiny After Midnight proves to be a confrontational listen. “Excited Delirium” lives up to its title with ICE overreach callouts set to fast, borderline punky distortion. That cynicism is sustained even when the textures lighten up as “Everyone Is Welcome” has the pleasant bounce of a Bee Gees number while the closing “Ain’t That A Bitch” has the sort of muscle behind its groove that’s just a couple pedal pushes away from tapping into Clutch-style hard rock.
But for how nihilistic I make this album sound, there are also some less serious numbers brought out by these country-funk adherences. “Don’t Let Go” and “Venus” are romantic numbers colored by their comparably mellow moods, the former’s gentle breezy sway perhaps the most rooted in country while the latter serves up more laid back funk. The sensual grooves on “Stay On That” and “Situation” are no doubt important for the Fuk side of the equation.
Yeah, this album Fuks.
Overall, Mutiny After Midnight is a strong effort whose off-the-wall genre blend and hard-hitting themes make for a distinct sort of unorthodox timeliness. I find myself drawing parallels to 2019’s Sound & Fury at times, similarly eclectic but perhaps more purposeful in its execution. Whether he’s Johnny Blue Skies or Sturgill Simpson, this is easily one of his most standout releases. If the world is on fire, then consider this a Disco Inferno.
