The Reverend Horton Heat "The Full-Custom Gospel Sounds of the Reverend Horton Heat" 1993

"If you listen to the band's catalog, you might say there are a few recurring themes found in our songs: beer, gin and tonic, whiskey, cocaine, tequila, martinis, marijuana, cigarettes, cars, more beer, pretty women, sermons, cats and dogs, the devil, Texas, and Jimbo. Not to mention steak and dildos. All the good things in life." -- Jim Heath, a.k.a. the Reverend Horton Heat Late '80s-1990With fellow Texas maniac Gibby Haynes on production, Heat and his trusty sidemen go at it again on The Full Custom Gospel Sounds and do so with all the style and sass one could want. Kicking off with "Wiggle Stick," a perfectly lubricious number that ended up scoring the band some airplay with Beavis and Butthead, the good Reverend serves notice that his services are once again the type of affairs where the Blood and the Body aren't necessarily spiritual. Full Custom is arguably more frenetic and metal-leaning than before -- not that Heat has turned into Robert Plant or anything like that, but the likes of "Livin' on the Edge (Of Houston)" would sound perfect smack dab in the middle of a Motörhead set.When it comes to matters lyrical, meanwhile, Heat is still the clever, leering bastard he's been before, and why not? The absolute killer on that front is "Bales of Cocaine," arguably the only English-language equivalent to narcotraficante corridas worthy of the comparison. Then there's the classic rockabilly strut and swing of "Beer: 30," where everything's boiled down to the doesn't-need-more triad of "Party! Get naked! Buy us more beer!" Aside from the "speed up then slow down the tape" goofiness on the concluding "Gin and Tonic Blues," Haynes doesn't really change the band's overall sound or anything, but he sure does help it sound great. Meanwhile, what the band comes up with in terms of variation is often a treat. For instance, who expected a drop-dead perfect borrowing from the Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz" making the brilliantly angry "400 Bucks" sound even better? Otherwise Heat keeps playing like crazy -- quiet when he needs to be and explosive when the time is right -- with Wallace and Bentley going after things with the same perfect feel. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music GuideThe Reverend Horton Heat:
Jim Heath (vocals, guitar) / Jimbo Wallace (acoustic bass, background vocals) / Patrick "Taz" Bentley (drums, background vocals).

trax:
1. Wiggle Stick 2. 400 Bucks 3. The Devil's Chasing Me 4. Livin' On The Edge (Of Houston) 5. You Can't Get Away From Me 6. Beer: 30 7. Big Little 8. Lonesome Train Whistle 9. Bales Of Cocaine 10. Loaded Gun 11. Nurture My Pig! 12. Gin And Tonic Blues