ORIGINAL MUSIC REVIEWS: SICK NOTE

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REVIEW CD – SICK NOTE

GENRE / STYLE – COMMERCIAL PUNK
ARTIST - HEALTHY JUNKIES
INDIE LABEL - BANANA CASTLE RECORDS

Published by Banana Castle Records 2011

Many original musicians will tell you that it is easier to form a band or write an original song, than it is to name it. I have seen or heard of band mates looking through the Holy Bible, Webster's dictionary, school text books, or by reading the ingredients on the back of a frozen dinner box to find a name. Any way they can come up with a name that best describes the "vibe" of the music of their song, band, or album concept.

Let me introduce you to a Commercial Punk band from the U.K. whose name fits well with their style of music. They call themselves HEALTHY JUNKIES. Not sure how these guys came up with their name but I think that their name does their sound and their vibe justice.

First you take the word HEALTHY.
My Grandmother always said that fresh fruit & veggies are healthy, clean living is healthy, but can Punk be healthy ? There are many different styles of Punk, just like there are many music choices on a buffet table. One choice is Commercial Punk. Bands like Green Day and The Offspring are types of bands that fly the "Punk" flag (not to be confused with Black Flag). Older examples of Punk gone commercial are the Talking Heads (who got their name from the TV GUIDE and opened up for the Ramones) and The B-52's (a NYC favorite who would drive up from Atlanta to play at CBGB). Both of those bands started out as original punk bands and morphed their music into their most known works, which can be heard today on the "classic rock" radio stations. Blondie is another punk band who played with the Ramones before Blondie's music moved from CBGB (Punk Heaven) to Studio 54 (Disco Heaven). The Runaways (featuring a young Joan Jett & Lita Ford), The Go-Go's, and NoDoubt (Gwen Stefani) are also some female examples of punk bands who turned their underground brand of music into a more digestible commercial brand of music tailor made for above ground consumption.

Next you add JUNKIES.
Now here is a word that can be associated with punk. One who has a dangerous form of addiction could be called a "junkie." I consider myself a Junk Food Junkie. I can't seem to stay away from chips, cake, or anything that has a hot fatty and greasy piece of dead animal, fried with with oil and onions. Not too healthy, huh? Junkies are usually unhealthy. They can also be loud, dangerous, combative, vulgar, vile without apologies when they have a focus on getting their next "fix" of what ever they are addicted to. I suggest that you do not get between me and my stampede toward the buffet line or I can be dangerous with the desert tongs. Punk music's hard core spirit has an attitude that can be unhealthy, loud, dangerous, combative, vulgar, vile, & disgustingly filthy without apologies. Sex Pistols, Suicidal Tendencies, Ramones, Misfits, & The Clash are various degrees of Punk that have the pure Punk loud spirit. Many teenage Grandmothers have begged their Grandchildren over many generations to turn down the volume and eat more veggies. Like most of you, I didn't listen well to my Grandmother.

OK, so maybe now you understand why I think that HEALTHY JUNKIES is a cool name for a Commercial Punk Band. What about their sound ? Don't you dare tag them solely in that commercial punk category. Sick Note, by the Healthy Junkies, pulls influences from many places out side of Punk. Both Rock and Glam are added to Punk to form their brand of music. It is a cleaner more poppy form of music. More commercial radio friendly and airplay ready, The results are sounds that you would hear a caged rabid Purple Squirrel make if she could play guitar and sing well. The music can be colorful, different and slightly wild, but safe to the casual listener. The music does have an underlining texture of possible danger on the Punk side, though the vocal presentation and production make it softer and on the healthier side. On the Music Buffet, it is NOT as healthy as the boring salad section of the table. It is more toward the meat section. My Grandmother would say that it is healthier to eat a salad but I would say not as enjoyable as eating a dead fried animal, even a fried purple squirrel
(I hear that it tastes like chicken).

Here are a few tasty tunes that I enjoyed most from Sick Note:

"Trash my love"
This song breaths more of the driving punk attitude. A contrasting blend of grungy gritty guitar with sweet vocals take you on a ride. It is alive with hypnotic vocals and music rhythms that will catch you hook line and sinker. The lyrics are well written so they must be personal. "you say that you wanna kill me... you say wanna save me... and now you are talking suicide well go ahead and do it." The only comment which I have to this lyric is...
Happy Valentine's Day !
"TRASH MY LOVE" video

"Beaten dog no more"
Vocal reverse as Nina Courson fades to the background and Phil Honey-Jones takes over lead vocals. I like his creepy lead vocal presentation. It is a cross between master of ceremonies at a freak show and a vindictive mad scientist. Phil's stalker cadence plays and teases us as if we are his test mice and he is the cat. Motivation to "get up" I am not sure, but I am motivated to say that it is one of their best songs.

"Famous for being famous"
A catchy chorus and song with one of the best lyrics on the CD "You had your 15 minutes of fame... tomorrow you will be nobody once again." An expansion on Andy Warhol's famous statement.
(I wonder if he made it at Studio 54) A true statement for the times we are in with a music bed that may be timeless.

"20th Century boy"
I know, I know, I know this is an ORIGINAL MUSIC Blog. Why mention a cover song ? If you like the fun "Original" way Van Halen remade the Kinks "You really got me" you may just love the Healthy Junkies creative twist on this T-Rex tune. In my opinion, the Healthy Junkies version is worth mentioning because it is a completely different and much better tune.

One change that I may have done on the CD would be to punch up the level on the vocals in the mix just a hair. Nina Courson's vocals have a clean rich tone. They are catchy and smooth yet a bit hidden in the mix especially on "Manifesto." Vocally, this tune had a good 'Til Tuesday feel, without the Aimee Mann whine , but at times I had a tough time peeling the words away from the music. Limited traces of efx are needed, just more vocal volume.

For the most part the CD was recorded well, I didn't notice any major mistakes. The glossy texture in the mix helps to make the music radio friendly. A healthy polish to take the grainy undertone from Punk into more of a commercial Punk style. This CD is on the Healthier commercial side of the Punk spectrum vs the Junkie Punk attitude/spirit side. It has a fun Punk spirit to it that doesn't make it TOO healthy. I am wondering aloud if I might love SICK NOTE more if it had a bit more of Ye Ole Punk grainy attitude, but I still enjoyed it very much.

I like Sick Note as a whole and I do smell something tasty, being cooked by the Healthy Junkies in their music kitchen. I can not wait for their next release or until they play the states (one hopes both at the same time). I will be the first in line for tickets. If I am right, there maybe many who will develop an addiction to the Healthy Junkies. A sort of Healthy Junkies... Junkies. People like me who will choose them while going through the buffet line of music. The band's sound will be eaten up as it is served just the way I like it... a hot greasy piece of dead animal, fried with with oil & onions. Tastier than a healthy salad. Sorry Grandmom.

-Alex

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"TRASH MY LOVE" video