SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GREEN JELLÖ – GREEN JELLÖ SUXX LIVË

Green Jellö
Green Jellö Suxx Livë
Blacktop Records

Somewhere in the world, at this very moment, a class in modern art is taking place at a major university where a professor stands underneath the projection of a urinal with “R. Mutt” scribbled on the side, defending its legitimacy as art. Keep that in mind while bobbing your head to Green Jellö Suxx Livë, the latest release by comedy infused punk band, Green Jelly (or Green Jellö for those who don’t honour pesky law suits). The limited edition cassette tape, being released on Blacktop Records, consists of a previously unheard live recording of two Green Jelly songs: “Three Little Pigs” and “Anarchy in Bedrock”. The sound is raw, the performance is wild, and the content is ridiculous. However, if the aforementioned professor’s lesson is still in your aforementioned mind, it will be easy to realize what a piece of art Green Jellö Suxx Livë is.

Those who require a certain level of seriousness in their music to conjure enjoyment will need to do one thing in order to understand how good Green Jellö Suxx Livë truly is: get over it. Front man Bill Manspeaker starts the set by telling the audience that those within the crowd not under the influence of alcohol or “medical marijuana” will have wasted a Friday night, and the performance only gets better from there. From the crowd interaction, to the heavy riffs of “Three Little Pigs,” to the scolding of puppets on stage, the whole tape is made to be listened to. It’s like KISS for the common man. Yet, where the performance stands out most of all is in Manspeaker’s admissions. When most musicians admit a lack of talent on stage it comes off as annoying; listeners always judge for themselves. Manspeaker’s confessions regarding the quality of his music come off as charming due to his verbiage and sincere tone. Upon ending “Three Little Pigs,” Manspeaker informs the crowd it was the bands only good song and they have others, but no one would want to hear it. It is that brand of honesty which makes you feel a sense of comradery with the band. He admits he is just a regular bloke just like anyone in the audience, and it makes the listener want to root for him.

PURCHASE GREEN JELLÖ SUXX LIVË HERE

Although, there is one problem with Manspeaker’s admissions; he’s wrong. The music on “Three Little Pigs,” is exactly as heavy as it needs to be. Sure, it’s not overly technical, but any listener who hears the song and doesn’t immediately start head banging needs to check if they are still in possession of their own soul. The distortion is appropriate, the vocals are rough and husky, and the drums are pounding. When the music stops for the pigs to cry “Not by the hairs of my chinny-chin-chin!”  the entire crowd sings along as if every single one of them were a member of the band. This is music made to be listened to, not to show off with. “Anarchy In Bedrock,” a twist on the Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy in the U.K.” doesn’t disappoint either. Green Jellö keeps the energy up through the entire performance and it pays off.

Green Jellö’s Green Jellö Suxx Livë won’t inspire any revelations or epiphanies, but it sure as hell will entertain. It’s a tragedy that funny music doesn’t get the credit it deserves and is so often compartmentalized. So what if it’s a punk nursery rhyme? It’s better than most anything found on the radio today! Skepticism can be understood for those going into their first listen of Green Jellö Suxx Livë, but with an open mind, you will surely end up drinking the proverbial Kool-Aid offered up by the people’s band, Green Jellö.

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