The Slaughterhouse Five -Are Fuck You Love

Mon 21st Aug, 2006 in Music Reviews

The first time I encountered The Slaughterhouse Five, I got an image of the Kurt Vonnegut novel in my head. A band that names themselves after a book as great as Vonnegut’s better be as good, if not better, I thought to myself. That thought quickly dispersed upon hearing Are Fuck You Love, the debut effort from these Perth locals.

‘Touched Like An Animal’ makes you swing your hips in a way that only John Spencer has been able to make you do in the past. As you look for the pole, you stop dead in your tracks as ‘T Is For Tooth-Filled Mouth’ comes on. It doesn’t sound much like ‘Touched Like An Animal’ as it packs more of a punch, but the chorus is loveable enough and that’s all that matters.

Instead of going back to look for the pole, you head straight to the dance floor for ‘Stole My Words’. It sounds like it could be found on Nirvana’s Bleach. ‘Survival Of The Fittest’ sounds as though it takes tips from San Franciscan cult-punk band the Dwarves. You start to think to yourself if you should stay on the dance floor or go to the bar for another round. The answer is found in the next song, ‘Junky’. You grab the closest person to you, swing an arm around their neck and you both shout the words of the song in a friendly drunken swagger. More drinks can wait, we’re on to a good thing here, let’s not spoil it now by ending it too soon. Finally, its time to look for that pole again, for ‘Lady Baby Woman’. As you find it, instead of grinding up against it, you remember the time you saw The Darkness and you start impersonating Justin Hawkins the best way you can. Lots of air guitar and high kicks.  

Sadly, as most albums do, Are Fuck You Love draws to a dramatic close and you head straight to the bar for another round of the tasty beverage you love so much. And the next time you’re at your friendly record store, you’re buying that goddamn album so you can relive the past 16 minutes all over again.