About ten years ago, there was a thriving swing and rockabilly scene. My friends and I used to dress up and go to places like the Mill Street Entry in Pontiac, and dance along to bands like The Squirrel Nut Zippers, Big Rude Jake and The Cigar Store Indians. The Kings Of Nuthin' could have fit in, but they would have probably beat those other guys up.
Punk For The Swingers
Eight men strong and featuring piano and saxophones, Boston's The Kings Of Nuthin' play a gritty, street punk version of '50s rock, big band jazz and swing. It's boisterous, exciting and fun, and makes you immediately think how great it would be to see this energetic music hybrid performed live.
With a voice that makes you wonder how vaudeville would have been if Jimmy Durante was a street punk, front man Torr Skoog barrels his gravelly vocals through each song, while Zack Brines hammers on the piano in a decidedly manic fashion. This alone could carry these guys, but the saxophones and washboard are pure icing.
Over The Counter Culture is made up of roughly two thirds cover tunes, but all of the cover tunes benefit greatly by the Kings' take on them. None of the choices are typical cover choices either; the Kings blast through Stiff Little Fingers' "Here We Are Nowhere", and The Nite Riders' "Women And Cadillacs" is a great swing tune that will get even the crustiest punks on the dance floor.
The best cover on the album is their take on "Banned From The Pubs" by Peter and the Test Tube Babies. Based on the stories circulating about this band live on tour, it could also be on the album to serve as their personal theme.
The Kings' original tunes are even better than the covers, with "If I Were You" and its aggressive chorus of "If I were you, I'd hate myself, too", being one of the best songs on the album. "You Don't Think", another aggressive original, has a great horn line, a '50s rock sound and a street punk chorus structure, and it all comes together great.
People who like street punk will like the Kings of Nuthin', and people who are into swing will dig these guys as well; but it's the people who simply like good music that makes you want to have a good time who are going to benefit most from Over The Counter Culture.
