Review: Supagroup - Fire for Hire
Label: Foodchain Records
Released: September 25, 2007
Not every copy is a bad thing. There are times when a band can ingest a variety of influences and spit them back as something fresh even if it isn't entirely new. Supagroup is not such a band.
On Fire for Hire, Supagroup manages to steal from a whole host of 70s and 80s hard rock groups to the point that much of it is almost indistinguishable. The vocals are just a tempered Bon Scott (and we all know that temperance and Bon Scott don't mix). Much of the music comes across as cheap Van Halen, probably as they would have sounded if they had a thoroughly mediocre guitarist rather than Eddie. In a genre that has experienced more than its share of mediocrity, Supagroup fails to even rise to the middle of the pack.
As if the music itself weren't bad enough, the lyrics may just be an all-time low. Rock lyrics don't tend to be poetry, but just about anyone can beat this:
I was changing gears, with a whiskey and a beer,
When I felt her hand on my thigh,
You know you can't tell that they're underage,
When you're looking at 'em from behind.
When I felt her hand on my thigh,
You know you can't tell that they're underage,
When you're looking at 'em from behind.
As you might expect, the story continues with the protagonist being chased down by the law. Faced with a roadblock, he breaks through, killing an officer in the process. Wow, that makes Ice-T's "Cop Killer" look intelligent. At least Ice-T wasn't making a case for statutory rape. In the chorus, he sings, "I'm only a man, looking at fifteen years to life." Wrong, you're a stupid man and you should get fifteen years for making this record alone.
If I had to give Supagroup credit for something, it'd be that they play with some energy. The problem is that what they're doing isn't worthy of energy, so in a sense, even that is a fault. If you're a misogynist, a moron or both, you might really dig this album. As for me, I found that I could fast-forward through much of the second half of the album and not miss anything.
Here's their e-card. Send it to people you hate (unless they're dumb enough to actually want to buy the album).
Rating: 1/10 (They probably would have gotten 3/10, but they lost two points for the statutory rape lyrics.)
Website
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posted by bob_vinyl at 12:01 AM
14 Comments:
So the music is about as good as the album cover?
Now Bob.....you hate AC/DC, so anything that sounds remotely like that, can't possibly be music that you enjoy.
I respect your opinion though. I will still have to give this one a listen before a cast judgement.
Mark - The cover is brilliant compared to the music and the music is brilliant compared to the lyrics.
hard rock hideout - It's true that I hate AC/DC, but through much of the album, it's the vocals that rip off AC/DC and I don't hate Bon Scott. About the only thing that could have made this one worse would be if they rippped off Brian Johnson instead! Honestly, I don't think AC/DC (Bon Scott-era, anyway) is the dregs of rock n roll, but they're so overrated that I need to overstate my case a bit to drive that point home. Anyway, compared to Supagroup, AC/DC is high art.
I was supposed to get a copy of this to review but never did, maybe it's a good thing, and boy do I love those lyrics!
What's wrong with being sexy?
I actually just got this CD in the mail today, I should have review posted probably sometime next week or so.
Chuck - If Supagroup is to be compared to Spinal Tap, then Smell the Glove is swimming swiftly in a sea of sensitive sexuality and brilliant poetry.
Jeff - Don't feel bad about skipping through a lot of it. I'm afraid that a listen straight through might cause brain damage. I can't wait to see what you think.
Between your review and Jeff's I'll take a pass.
Perplexio - That is a wise decision.
That's just funny! Some reviewers get it, and some don't. Perhaps he's waiting for the new Celine record, or maybe something without lyrics, like Kenny G - I'll take the dopey rockers ANY DAY! And thanks.... :)
Rockdog - You're right, I don't get advocating statutory rape!
Whew, Bob, look at this comment thread! When I reviewed this album I just saw these guys as doing nothing more than taking their favorite AC/DC licks and revinting them into new songs with silly homages. I can say that the whole point of Supagroup is that they're making fun of the eighties big hair and big arena rock bands. Yeah, they like that stuff, but they're definitely trying to tweak, which they obviously did in your case. I don't think it's an exceptional album or anything, and you're right about the "Jailbait" lyrics; they're over-the-top even for farce, but these guys aren't going to win Grammies, just collect a bunch of "stupid" tags like you had, which made me roar
if you hate AC/DC, then i consider your opinion completely without merit.
Anon - If you can't put your name on your comment, you don't even have an opinion.
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