Scared Straight is an album by the American band New Bomb Turks, released in 1996.[4][5] It was the band's first album to be released in Canada.[6] New Bomb Turks promoted the album with a North American tour.[1][7]
| Scared Straight | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Studio | 609 Recording | |||
| Genre | Rock 'n' roll[1][2] | |||
| Label | Epitaph[3] | |||
| Producer | New Bomb Turks | |||
| New Bomb Turks chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editProduced by the band, the album was recorded at 609 Recording, in Cleveland; New Bomb Turks had more time to spend in the studio.[8][9][10] The band added keyboards, piano, and horns to some of the album's tracks.[11][12] The lyrics were written by singer Eric Davidson, who took care to contrast the raucous music with reflective or ironic lines.[10][13]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Daily Breeze | [12] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [15] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[16] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [17] |
Entertainment Weekly wrote that "the New Bomb Turks really are special—and smart enough to know that throwing a bit of Stonesy raunch into their post-hardcore mix on Scared Straight is no crime."[16] The Austin Chronicle concluded that, "though all [their songs] boil with ripened punk-rock pugnaciousness, the ones that really get you going are the ones that make fists clench and pulses race."[18] The Chicago Tribune called the album "pure, breakneck rock 'n' roll."[2]
The Cleveland Scene determined that Scared Straight "comes off like Rocket From the Crypt backing Iggy Pop—horns and organ temper the rugged guitar workouts with distorted doses of rock and roll soul."[9] The Austin American-Statesman noted that "the New Bomb Turks are obviously into the 1960s-biker-clamdiggers-dancing-on-tabletops-boys-with-big-greasy-hair thing, but they do it one better, with a miraculously fat guitar tone and tight arrangements."[19] The Columbus Dispatch thought that "the manic, rockabilly-tinged rocker 'Professional Againster' and the fuzz-guitar blast of 'Jukebox Lean' are reminiscent of the Stooges' '1969'."[20]
AllMusic wrote that "the Turks' revivalism would be tiring if it wasn't for their amateurish enthusiasm and their goofy, off-the-wall sense of humor."[14]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hammerless Nail" | |
| 2. | "Bachelor's High" | |
| 3. | "Professional Againster" | |
| 4. | "Cultural Elite Sign-Up Sheet" | |
| 5. | "Jukebox Lean" | |
| 6. | "Jeers of a Clown" | |
| 7. | "Look Alive Jive" | |
| 8. | "Staring Down the Gift Horse" | |
| 9. | "Shoot the Offshoot" | |
| 10. | "Drop What You're Doin'" | |
| 11. | "Telephone Number" | |
| 12. | "Wrest Your Hands" |
References
edit- ^ a b Rodriguez, Kenn (20 Sep 1996). "Turks infuse punk with rock 'n' roll rebellion". Albuquerque Journal. p. E22.
- ^ a b Reger, Rick (30 Aug 1996). "New Bomb Turks, Thursday at the Empty Bottle". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. O.
- ^ "New Bomb Turks". Trouser Press. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ Pirnia, Garin (April 4, 2018). Rebels and Underdogs: The Story of Ohio Rock and Roll. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9781684350179.
- ^ "New Bomb Turks Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Mowat, Bruce (15 Apr 1997). "Ohio's New Bomb Turks do an old sound justice". The Hamilton Spectator. p. B6.
- ^ Bissell, John (September 5, 1996). "New Bomb Turks rock Filling Station". News. Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
- ^ Floyd, John (February 27, 1997). "Talking Columbus Blues". Music. Miami New Times.
- ^ a b Niesel, Jeff. "Breakin' the Raw Law". Cleveland Scene.
- ^ a b Beal Jr., Jim (February 21, 1997). "Loud, fast, but not brainless – Ohio's New Bomb Turks punkish and perceptive". San Antonio Express-News. p. 12H.
- ^ Stegall, Tim (May 1998). "Best New Music". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 57. p. 14.
- ^ a b Godfrey, John (October 11, 1996). "New Bomb Turks, 'Scared Straight'". Daily Breeze. p. K26.
- ^ Cubarrubia, Eydie (February 28, 1997). "New Bomb Turks Just Want to Have Fun". The Bradenton Herald. p. W4.
- ^ a b "New Bomb Turks Scared Straight". AllMusic.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 161.
- ^ a b "Scared Straight". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 807.
- ^ "New Bomb Turks". The Austin Chronicle.
- ^ Wolfinsohn, Deborah J. (22 Aug 1996). "New Bomb Turks 'Scared Straight'". Austin American-Statesman. p. 16.
- ^ "Hometown New Bomb Turks Explode with Manic Sound". Weekender. The Columbus Dispatch. August 22, 1996. p. 8.