The King Khan & BBQ Show Bad News Boys & Show # 555

Bad News Boys begins with the doo-wop, garage stomp of “Alone Again”, a song drenched in 50s rock ‘n’ roll influences. Sung by this duo’s drummer, rhythm guitarist and main vocalist Mark Sultan (aka BBQ), the song strikes a powerful, yet melodic chord that not only introduces us to King Khan & BBQ Show’s first album in six years, but it is also seeped in 50’s rock ballad drama. During the song’s three minute time frame, lead guitarist King Khan plays his own blend of arpeggio-drunk-a-billy guitar riffs amongst his doo-wop backing vocals and BBQ’s primal backbeat groove. While this song contains the obvious elements of a love song, it also is somewhat symbolic given The King Khan & BBQ Show’s chaotic history. In 2010, the band announced they were splitting up for good following the release and tour of 2009’s Invisible Girl. “Alone Again” evokes a togetherness in contrast to the songs surface message. The King Khan & BBQ Show are alone and together again creating their own brand of musical mayhem.

“Illuminations” follows next. Sung by King Khan, this song shines bright with a gritty 1978 punk groove, while King Khan sings of being a spark in the dark within a world of bright distractions as the chorus tells us “Illuminations/Don’t let them leave you behind”. The King Khan & BBQ Show then re-introduce their dark B-movie style and at times silly/ramshackle lyrics in a mix of salty tambourines and strong vocal melodies in “Kiss My Sister’s Fist”, an element that returns at several points on this album. On “Buy Bye Bhai” the band amps up their soul influences. Despite it’s lo-fi production, this song rises above it’s production techniques with its offbeat, soulful Otis Redding influenced vocal melodies and warped guitar dynamics. “D.F.O” shows The King Khan & BBQ Show flexing their hardcore punk twang in a toilet humoured track that lasts less than a minute and one that breaks up the filthy, but beautiful “Buy Bye Bhai” and the slow chugging melodies of “We Are The Champion”. This song was originally released as a single to prior to the album’s release in 2014.

“Ocean Of Love” brings back the band’s soulful influence, mixed with their brand of doo-wop and in this case, sand dusted, glassy rhythms. “Snacking After Midnight” brings rusty rhythms and cartoonish/B-horror movie lyrics, along with the murky “Killing The Wolfman”. This song treads through muddy swamp verses while the song’s paranoid lyrics conjure up images of “chemical werewolves, moons“ and ends with a howl. “Never Felt Like This” is a nostalgic love song, as with ‘’Buy Bye Bhai”, brings in a strong soulful influence. The song lyrically as with the opening number, could be seen as a reunion of sorts after a long hiatus. Bad News Boys ends with an odd curveball, as we are thrown into the noisy punk assault of “Zen Machines”. This song has obviously thrown off several reviewers, who claim the song is the weakest moment on this twelve-track release. This song is a barrage of fast punk riffs, which references late night talk show host Conan O’Brien and ends as if there is a CD or record skipping. The album ends on a riotous note, one that is perhaps unexpected. This could be a sign of things to come from The King Khan & BBQ Show. Sounds like this were last explored on 2006’s What’s For Dinner? This song shakes things up, making the album less predictable than what some people may predict, while at the same time hitting the notes on the sounds we might expect from The King Khan & BBQ Show.

Initially, The King Khan & BBQ Show stated that they would be changing their name to Bad News Boys, a name that they were going to go by many years ago prior to settling on The King Khan & BBQ Show. Fortunately they kept The King Khan & BBQ Show moniker and instead called the album Bad News Boys. Fittingly, this album treads in the band’s earlier musical territory, while at the same time not taking itself too seriously. Six years is sometimes the entire lifespan of a band, but with Bad News Boys, The King Khan & BBQ Show chime in with their primitive, melodic sounds and an undeniable chemistry together as musicians. The music found on this album is similar to the band’s previous releases, but there are small subtleties that make it different. However, that is not necessarily the point. The King Khan & BBQ Show are a raunchy, sloppy, raw rock ‘n' roll band. Bad News Boys proves that they still have what it takes to entertain the average listener. The bad news for some would be if you expected any different.

Saturday Night Playlist:

1. Jerry Lee Lewis - Wild One
2. Deja Voodoo - Gotta Have Money
3. Just Brothers - Sliced Tomatoes
4. Pere Ubu - Life Stinks
5. Jay Reatard - Screaming Hand
6. Summer Cannibals - Show Us Your Mind
7. C & C Surf Factory - Takeshiesque
8. Surf Kitties - Breaker
9. The Nomads - Bounty Hunter
10. The Dictators - California Sun
11. Pink Wine - Persistent Cops
12. Pow Wows - Surfin’ Dirge
13. Parquet Courts - Ducking & Dodging (Live)
14. The King Khan & BBQ Show - Ocean Of Love
15. The King Khan & BBQ Show - Killing The Wolfman
16. Painted Ship - Frustration (Alternate Version)
17. Pissed Jeans - Half Idiot
18. The Birthday Party - Nick The Stripper
19. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - I'm Gonna Kill That Woman
20. Titus Andronicus - Titus Anronicus
21. Sonic Youth - Burning Spear
22. Andrew Jackson Jihad - No One
23. Diamond Rugs - Motel Room
24. Bob Dylan & The Band - Edge Of The Ocean
25. The Rolling Stones - Complicated
26. The Normals - Almost Ready
27. Strange Attractor - Anything
28. The Cramps - Drug Train
29. The Black Lips - The Best Napkin I Ever Had
30. The Stooges - Down On The Street (Take 13)
31. The Strokes - Take It Or Leave It
32. The Replacements - If Only You Were Lonely

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for April 11. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.