The Boom Bang WORLD WAR FUN review

There are a few things in this life I believe to be absolutely true; there is nothing that drinking a cold beer in a hot shower can’t fix, steaks should AT MOST be cooked to medium-rare, and Oklahoma City is on the verge of a music revolution not seen since the heyday of the Chainsaw Kittens/Flaming Lips centered scene of the early ‘90s.  At the forefront of this current revolution is The Boom Bang.

Checking in with their first full-length, World War Fun (Nice People Records), The Boom Bang place themselves on the Rock-N-Roll map somewhere between the Memphis based lock-groove boogie of the Oblivians and the reverb drenched neo-psyche styling’s of Left Coasters like Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees.  This would seem to be the logical place for a bunch of Okies.

WWF is most assuredly a noisy barnstormer, but it brings plenty of hooks and enough soft angles for even the greenest of ears to find their way into the party.  And dammit, it’s a party you don’t want to miss.  The rhythm section of Weston Lorance (bass) and Charles Whetstone (drums) has no issue with bashing out grooves that will leave you shaking your hips and pumping your fists... like it or not.  The guitar work of Tommy McKenzie is the perfect blend of Ramons-ey fuzz bop and 13^th Floor Elevators ricocheting sonic dive and wail.  The guitar textures keep World War Fun see-sawing between a psychotic cacophony and a bastion of sing song bubblegum glee.  This is a good thing.  Vocalist James Smith, sounding like the lovechild of Lux Interior and Black Francis, brings the same snotty attitude to his melodies and lyrical attack that he does to his rafter-swinging, middle finger flying live show.  And yes, all this comes together beautifully.

Things kick off with “Ahh… Fresh Monsters”.  It’s a fun song and does a serviceable job of setting the table for the rest of the spread.   World War Fun’s best moment comes somewhere in between “Mondo Ripper” and “Tobacula”.  The pairing of the albums most untidy track with its most accessible, accentuates the strength of both.  There are other highlights.  Close your eyes and track number 9 (Drive In) will conjure up the sights and smells an unmade Ed Roth late night movie.  “Odds” plays like a classic anthem, thankfully without all the pretentious crappings.  The closer, “Bozmonaut” (points for the title alone, Sooners!) provides the most hard to believe moment “The girls of the world, they all say no!”  Bringing the party like these guys do, I don’t buy it for a second.