Paid

According to Eddie Spaghetti's liner notes, the Paid EP will the first in a series of short form releases leading up to a "fully realized" Supersuckers album, and with obvious pride he announces, "this is as good as we've ever been." While Spaghetti's self-congratulation may be a bit premature or overstated, the truth is that Paid does offer up three top-shelf new tunes from the boys; the title track is a strong working man's anthem, "Breaking Honey's Heart" is yet another well-told tale of a defective relationship, and "I Like It All, Man" is a celebration of the regular guy decadence that's long been the group's stock in trade. Dan "Thunder" Bolton and new recruit Rontrose Heathman are a high-octane guitar combination, Spaghetti is in fine voice and his bass work is exemplary, and Mike Musberger's drumming fits these guys like a glove. The re-recordings of "Roadworn and Weary" and "Creepy Jackalope Eye" don't add that much to the proceedings, but they're fun, and they cover Steve Earle's "Here I Am" with muscle and smarts. Is this a preview of the album that will replace La Mano Cornuda or The Sacrilicious Sounds of the Supersuckers as their greatest achievement? That's anyone's guess, but Paid shows that the Supersuckers are in great shape and aiming high, so maybe they've got that target in their sights after all.