PeepShow Out for Blood
by Leyla Hamedi
Guest Writer
PeepShow is what you get when you cross Pretty Boy Floyd with a band that prefers not to use extraneous Zs in their spelling (Leather boyz? Electric toyz?). They look like glam hair metal gone hardcore. They mean business. They mean blood. They’re Out For Blood. Hah. Oh come on, it had to be said. The lead singer has blood all over his face, he’s asking for a dumb pun. And that’s the best you get on short notice.
It’s actually harder to classify them than one might think though. They use movie samples like they’re in competition with Iron Maiden, they have insipid choruses with liberal uses of the word “baby,” but then they also have harder songs, bordering on punk, that show how capable they are of putting a serious song together … but they also have a song called, “Cat Boy.” Cat Boy.
“The Stand,” is a shrieking, rocking, sloppily fun song that pairs Black Halo-like verses with choruses that make Poison look tacky. Fine, tackier. “Turn It Up,” is a catchy, rather calmer song that has simple rhymes but a lyrics that bode well for audience participation. The machine-gun guitars and vocals of “Out For Blood,” distinguish it from the previous two songs and the, “whoaaaa,” chorus suits the pounding beat so well that one might feel bad about making puns about it.
Though the entire record hints at the Halloween-glam the Murderdolls were so good at, “Teenage Nightmare,” and, “Nice Night to Die,” are the songs that really call attention to it. They’re fun songs that are anything but threatening. You’ll never be happier about ending someone’s life as you sing along. “I Want You,” seems like it would be a sweet song but the delightful moans of satisfied women interspersed with tongue-in-cheek declarations of their desire makes it just ridiculously sleazy. But in an adorable, oh-you-silly-things way.
And of course, we can’t finish this without talking about, “Cat Boy.” Which, as it turns out, is the best song. Its Faster Pussycat –esque (HAHA) solos more than resemble the fun and dirty joy that was, “Bathroom Wall,” and is a rollicking good tune to go out on. At first glance, it’s like, “Who’re you kidding?” Eventually, though maybe grudgingly, you can’t help but enjoy PeepShow.
Label: Street Symphonies Records
Band Members:
Johnny Gunn – Vocals
Rusty Gill – Guitar
Kennii Black – Bass
Charlie Deville – Drums
Track Listing:
The Stand
Turn It Up
Out For Blood
Teenage Nightmare
Nice Night To Die
Take the Fall
I Want You
Until Its Gone
Cat Boy
Web site: www.peepshowonline.co.uk
Hardrock Haven Rating: 7.5/10