Dawn and I were shaken out of white line fever on the Pennsylvania Turnpike when this one came rattling over the speakers, a raucous blend of Americana and garage rock, an unholy marriage of Black Oak Arkansas and Chickasaw Mudpuppies from a band incongruously generated by the Portland music scene, not otherwise known for its twang.
I Can Lick Any SOB sports what might be called an "enlightened redneck" persona on this, their second album: anti-war, anti-Bush ("Things That Fail" "American Fuck Machine"), anti-gun ("Dear Mr. Heston"), anti-women-named-Courtney ("The Ballad of Courtney Taylor"), but they are pro-guitar and pro-harmonica, the lynchpins of the band's eccentric, choogling sound.
The band is Mole Harris - Bass, David Lipkind - Harmonica, Jon Burbank - Lead Guitar, FlapJack Texas - Drums, Mike D - Vocals, Guitar. I assume Mike D is writing the lyrics, and his twang is explained in "In the Mud":
"my granddaddy was born in kellyville, oklahoma
and he died in a psych ward all alone
me I stare at the stars from down in the gutter
sure is pretty down here don't ya know
my daddy was born in pike county kentucky
he had hatfield in his blood"
Good to know where you're coming from, Mike. If you can get past a certain, um, raggedness to Mike's vocals, this is some finger-licking good rock 'n' roll with a radical anti-establishment bent. Yee-haw.
Article comments
1 - Cindy
Yay Eric! I'm so glad you liked it! Mike Damron is indeed the singer/songwriter and also happens to be the brother of my very best friend!
I love this band, not only for the music, but also cuz they are a bunch of really great guys!
2 - Eric Olsen
Cindy my friend, it is a small world indeed!
3 - Michael
Everyone who loves good music should hear this band. Everyone who loves America and would like to see it become what it was meant to be should also hear it. There is an energetic tour 'de force behind every note and every lyric. Mike speaks the naked truth, whether it is a personal tail, or a political battle. John Ashcroft and the whole Bush Administration be damned, and go back to the holes from which you crawled out.
Michael
P.s. I must echo what Cindy said. They are all a bunch of Great guys. Jackson says hello, and he can't wait to play with you guys again.
4 - Chris
It should be noted Courtney Taylor isn't a woman, though he is a pussy. He's the egocentric frontman of the Dandy Warhols.
Great band. new album's even better.
5 - Temple Stark
See, I didn't follow the link when first you posted it under the other SOB review. Gotcha now.