CD Review: Invisible Girl

Band: King Khan & BBQ Show
Label: In The Red Records
Release: November 3, 2009

1. “Anala” – 9.6
2. “Invisible Girl” – 9.8
3. “I’ll Be Loving You” – 9.7
4. “Animal Party” – 9.4
5. “Spin the Bottle” – 9.8
6. “Third Ave” – 9.8
7. “Tastebuds” – 9.7
8. “Truth or Dare” – 9.6
9. “Crystal Ball” – 9.8
10. “Lonely Boy” – 9.7
11. “Tryin’” – 9.8
12. “Do the Chop” – 9.7

Comments: This album rules! It doesn’t quite have the innate catchiness of most of the songs on What’s For Dinner? or The King Khan & BBQ Show LP, but it’s a lot more of the same great old-skool garage and doo-wop. “Anala” gets us right into things with King hollering his typical  “uhm-bau-wau-uhm-bau-wau” in the background of BBQ’s graceful ballad about making Anala (yes, Anal-a) cry. “Invisible Girl” is a bit of a change-up from “Anala” in that it is more modern garage-rock sounding, playful and as inviting as ever. “Purple, pink, and orange make me high as when the sky…” is the perfect line for a sing-a-long. A dirty sing-a-long at that; seemingly about fantasies of the cover-girl. “I’ll Be Loving You” is another powerful BBQ straight from the heart tune…different from the previous three because it is to a great degree innocent. “Animal Party” carries on the innocent vibe and could easily be played alongside children, provided it’s cleaned up slightly. Next is “Spin the Bottle” which really isn’t like anything KK+BBQ have done before. King’s “dirty” vocals fit perfectly in this raunchy-but-not-really-raunchy-at-all number. “Third Avenue” is probably the oldest sounding song on this album. Everything about it: the lyrics, the slow-strummed guitars and the light tambourine have a definite old skool vibe. “Tastebuds,” I imagine, will most definitely become a live staple for these guys. It’s so obnoxious and memorable that live crowds are bound to immediate recite the words like any old KK+BBQ classic. “Truth or Dare” is another party-game play-on that rocks. Just like “Spin the Bottle,” this song probably wouldn’t be the same without King on lead vocals. “Crystal Ball” wouldn’t be out of place on a Shrines record because it is so fast paced and feels like a complete experience…almost like there is a seven member back-up band. “Lonely Boy” is fast-paced too with a punk structure. I can definitely see this song as long-lasting addition to their set-list. “Tryin'” further exemplifies BBQ’s amazing vocal range as if you had any doubts before. The line: “The way you chew tobacco, baby, reading magazines/Makes me want to sit around and sow into your jeans” has awesome written all over it. “Do The Chop” isn’t really dancing music, but it’s definitely something to consider. I’d try to do the chop, if I could decipher what BBQ is instructing me to do. Stop, drop, and then do the chop? Damn, that sounds fucked up, but I might as well do it anyway.

Grade: 9.7

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