Choking Susan
Saying themselves that they hail from the stench filled slums of Detroit so they have lots to complain about, just like a 60 year old hooker, Choking Susan are here and apparently, want to have a whine! Going on to say that they’re a punk band who have had plenty of members in and out, keeping their sound raw and touring all over the US, Canada, Spain, England, Scotland, Ireland and France – there seems to be more than meets the eye to these guys! We were sent through a copy of their album I Was A Teenage Tranny to check out, so I figured I’d hit play to let the music do the talking!
Opening with title track I Was A Teenage Tranny we’re launched straight into a punk fuelled melee of guitar lines, pounding drum lines, punk style vocals and rumbling bass lines, it’s an upbeat and energetic start to things. The lyrics to this track add a whole new dimension to things, forming the sort of thing which is going to get people chanting along, jumping and singing along to ‘I got a penis, where’d I put it’ and feeding off of the sheer power of the band. Moving on to You, the theme of upbeat and powerful rhythms continues, once again forming into a track which sure to get people involved and venues pumping. The authentic punk sound of this track sets it out as one which is going to become a live favourite, the sort of track which gets the band going as well as the crowd, the raucous guitar lines combining with the hard hitting drum lines and raspy vocal lines, anthem in the waiting I hear you say….maybe!
Dementia, Thimble Tits, I Wanna Blow You Up and Aqua Queen all continue the punk fuelled rampage of the album, each track coming as a gem of sheer power and energy, each track building up the album and keeping you listening. It’s when Oprah’s Sweet Tampon comes around though that we reach my personal favourite track of the album, launching straight into an upbeat and fun sounding melee of elements, the mix forming something which is accessible and fun to listen to, yet at the same time sounds like something which is going to really work on that live stage again. At times you’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s a joke element to these guys, but despite the lyrical content, the backing music is nothing but serious, all the time pushing the boundaries of punk to reveal a clear understanding of what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. Touch Me is a pure example of this, this time forming a track which is more conventionally punk as we know it these days but still keeping that authenticity running through it. Powerful from the off, there’s a seriously catchy element to this track, something which once again is going to get you singing along, joining in and wanting to be part of this road show that’s called Choking Susan!
Tempt The Ending once again sticks to the more conventional punk roots, this time incorporating an intricate lead line to the opening moments which adds in a sense of rock and roll, a sense of movement and a feeling that this is another live favourite. It’s clear already that these guys understand their music, but this track adds pay to the idea that they also know how to play their instruments, hammering out a track which works as an underground punk track as well as something a lot of people could get on to if given the chance. Showing off their heavier side for Victim Energy we’re suddenly shown a more serious side to the band, presenting us with an all out track of epic proportions. Once again standing out as a high point on the album and showing that these guys are going to be a force to be reckoned with, this penultimate track on the album may lead us closer to the end of the album, but it also shows there’s more to come from these guys and that realistically, this is only the beginning!
Closing with I Can’t Let Go the album comes to a close on another more conventional track, closing with a powerful guitar and drum combo which is sure to get the neighbours banging on the wall. Heavy once again, this final track leaves the album as a bit of a cliff hanger, not giving away what’s coming next but letting you know that it’s going to be damned good and you’re going to have to check it out!
Choking Susan caught me a little off guard when I first hit play on the album as quite simply, they’ve taken punk and made it their bitch. They understand their music, they understand their instruments but most of all, they understand their audience and as such, have produced an album which people are going to love. From start to finish we’re presented with surprises, upbeat moments, jokey moments, and moments which simply sit you back and force you to listen. This is a band to check out whilst they’re here as based on this, their live show promises to be one hell of an experience!
To find out more about Choking Susan, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with title track I Was A Teenage Tranny we’re launched straight into a punk fuelled melee of guitar lines, pounding drum lines, punk style vocals and rumbling bass lines, it’s an upbeat and energetic start to things. The lyrics to this track add a whole new dimension to things, forming the sort of thing which is going to get people chanting along, jumping and singing along to ‘I got a penis, where’d I put it’ and feeding off of the sheer power of the band. Moving on to You, the theme of upbeat and powerful rhythms continues, once again forming into a track which sure to get people involved and venues pumping. The authentic punk sound of this track sets it out as one which is going to become a live favourite, the sort of track which gets the band going as well as the crowd, the raucous guitar lines combining with the hard hitting drum lines and raspy vocal lines, anthem in the waiting I hear you say….maybe!
Dementia, Thimble Tits, I Wanna Blow You Up and Aqua Queen all continue the punk fuelled rampage of the album, each track coming as a gem of sheer power and energy, each track building up the album and keeping you listening. It’s when Oprah’s Sweet Tampon comes around though that we reach my personal favourite track of the album, launching straight into an upbeat and fun sounding melee of elements, the mix forming something which is accessible and fun to listen to, yet at the same time sounds like something which is going to really work on that live stage again. At times you’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s a joke element to these guys, but despite the lyrical content, the backing music is nothing but serious, all the time pushing the boundaries of punk to reveal a clear understanding of what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. Touch Me is a pure example of this, this time forming a track which is more conventionally punk as we know it these days but still keeping that authenticity running through it. Powerful from the off, there’s a seriously catchy element to this track, something which once again is going to get you singing along, joining in and wanting to be part of this road show that’s called Choking Susan!
Tempt The Ending once again sticks to the more conventional punk roots, this time incorporating an intricate lead line to the opening moments which adds in a sense of rock and roll, a sense of movement and a feeling that this is another live favourite. It’s clear already that these guys understand their music, but this track adds pay to the idea that they also know how to play their instruments, hammering out a track which works as an underground punk track as well as something a lot of people could get on to if given the chance. Showing off their heavier side for Victim Energy we’re suddenly shown a more serious side to the band, presenting us with an all out track of epic proportions. Once again standing out as a high point on the album and showing that these guys are going to be a force to be reckoned with, this penultimate track on the album may lead us closer to the end of the album, but it also shows there’s more to come from these guys and that realistically, this is only the beginning!
Closing with I Can’t Let Go the album comes to a close on another more conventional track, closing with a powerful guitar and drum combo which is sure to get the neighbours banging on the wall. Heavy once again, this final track leaves the album as a bit of a cliff hanger, not giving away what’s coming next but letting you know that it’s going to be damned good and you’re going to have to check it out!
Choking Susan caught me a little off guard when I first hit play on the album as quite simply, they’ve taken punk and made it their bitch. They understand their music, they understand their instruments but most of all, they understand their audience and as such, have produced an album which people are going to love. From start to finish we’re presented with surprises, upbeat moments, jokey moments, and moments which simply sit you back and force you to listen. This is a band to check out whilst they’re here as based on this, their live show promises to be one hell of an experience!
To find out more about Choking Susan, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls