Heavy Heavy Low Low - Turtle Nipple and the Toxic Shock

Ferret Records

August 7, 2008, 12:52 PM

Turtle Nipple & Toxic Shock is the second full-length release by the San Jose band Heavy Heavy Low Low, and I have to say possibly the best named album I've heard this year. I had to post the tracklist as part of this review as the comedy titles best up most of the enjoyment you're going to get from this record.

Track listing

1. "Hahahahahahaha" - 0:38
2. "Giant Mantis VS. TURT nip" - 2:17
3. "How Many Dad’s Must Eat Themselves?" -
4. "3000, 100 Points, 100pts, Gummy Octopi" - 2:02
5. "H.D.EYE Hybrid Cyborg" - 1:39
6. "Trot Line Beer Can" - 1:05
7. "The Toxic Shock Mountain Blues" - 1:41
8. "R4TB3LLY" - 1:07
9. "Eagle Mewnadria" - 3:36
10. "Supernova Ninja Surfers" - 2:18
11. "Is This Your Homework?" - 1:27
12. "Green Genes" - 1:30
13. "Wasted" (Black Flag cover) - 0:45
14. "Rotten Church / Mall / Parking Lot" - 1:57
15. "Please, That Bitch Will Outlive Us All" - 15:52
(Bonus track: "Short-Term Exposure, Long-Term Damage" (remix) at 14:37)

Ok so musically this album is quite interesting. Spazzy riffs, madcap disco metal drumming and thundering fuzz bass collapse over each other in a turmoil of sound. However, it's the vocals for me that are a real let down. Robert Smith's vocals sound truly thuggish and often fail to fit in with the music at all. It's a shame as musically this band are really exciting.

I've not heard any of these guys previous work (and it might just be the slightly weird production) but the vocals just grind me down after a song or two. No dynamic range or melody and random, pointless lyrics just ruin an otherwise interesting record. But, they still get a 5 just for the name.