Kaopectate Blues

CHEATER SLICKS/THE BIG DISAPPOINTMENTS/GUINEA WORMS
P.A.'s Lounge/Somerville, MA
September 8, 2007

I almost missed this one after a recent three-day grudge match with the stomach flu just missed keeping me sidelined from the show, and boy would I have been pissed off at that turn of events...knockout blow of a headlining set was the real cure for all that ailed me, the Cheater Slicks live continuing to sound something like a free jazz band in intensity but with dual feedbacking guitars instead of the brass (and no dark ties or sunglasses in sight either). Drummer Dana Hatch still looks like the guy most likely to have an onstage meltdown with all that glowering and muttering to himself, but really, there's nothing calm about any of these guys if/when you close your eyes...to my enthusiastic but increasingly jaded ears, prehistoric distortion has rarely sounded better than it did this night--and jass jokes aside, these songs swing like a motherfucker in between all that grunged-out sonic roar. In other words, some serious payback for me after a day spent swilling Kaopectate, bottled water and only one beer just to bring you this shitty review!