EUGENE RIPPER
The Ballad Of Black (Divine Industries)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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Folks looking to rekindle their seventies Toronto crash and burn punk fetish best look elsewhere, cuz Eugene Ripper has long left his Stark Naked and the Fleshtones persona behind. Visiting the old punks retirement home is a sorry sight, so it's good to see someone like Ripper has reinvented himself in an honorable manner. With acoustic guitar in hand, Ripper delivers a swell ten spot of rockin' folk tunes, or folkin' rock tunes, you be the judge. A bit of a country flair brings Handsome Ned to mind, and that ain't a bad thing indeed. Hell we need more dusty cowpunks delivering teary ballads so's we can nurse our drinks in a proper manner. Few can turn a couple of chords into something majestic, and Eugene Ripper has the gift.

[Pick this up at divineindustries.com.]

© 2004 - John Sekerka