THE NEW DUNCAN IMPERIALS
Sticky (Pravda Records)
Reviewed by David J. Klug

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The New Duncan Imperials ride again. I still mourn the death of The Service, the Chicago band from whose ashes NDI rose like a phoenix, albeit with two heads, ten years ago. As it is, anything by NDI sounds delicious and Sticky is no exception. In fact, it's possibly their crowning achievement: a smorgasbord of sounds and styles that touch on power-pop and punk to trash rock, some of the wackiest "alternative country" this side of Mojo Nixon, and everything in between. Sticky is a 90-minute, 2CD extravaganza with 30 songs about beer, food, sex, sex with food, cars, girls, fishing, power tools, Donna Summer, Helmet (the band), and of course, everything in between. Both discs rock hard, although the second wins the award for being more thematically warped.

With Sticky, NDI continue as one of the funniest, and funnest, bands on planet Earth. Not getting kicks at an NDI gig is tantamount to needing shock therapy. Not enjoying an NDI record begs for answers to questions the band can't begin to formulate. Seriously, it's important is to understand that if NDI weren't a band of consummate musicians (rest assured they are), the joke would have worn off years ago. (Note: Kudos to Pravda Records for being price conscious for the consumer, as this set is specially priced at just a couple bucks more than most single CD's retail for now.)

© 2000 - David J. Klug