Fight Songs for F-Ups

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 "S**t Out of Luck," "Iron Out the Irony," or "Fight Song for F**k-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.