Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

I love the Suburban Noize label. I am as far from the label politically as you can get, but I love their finger-in-your-eye attitude. Nobody does what they do quite as well, though that’s probably a good thing. That’s why (hed) p.e. is on its roster. (hed) p.e. has been around for at least 13 years or so, but INSOMNIA is only their second proper release on Suburban Noize, following 2006’s BACK 2 BASE X. INSOMNIA is more like the (hed) p.e. we know and…well, know.

Half brilliantly inspired, half utterly full of shit, INSOMNIA is a nihilistic assault on the senses. The parental advisory sticker is not there for grins and giggles. It sounds like some sort of mad mix tape compiled by The Beastie Boys, John Lydon, Dave Mustaine and George Clinton, with a little Zappa thrown in. I loved it and hated it, sometimes at the same time, but I can’t leave it alone. And the reason I can’t is that INSOMNIA has more energy in 30 seconds than most CDs put out in 40 minutes. With a world view that seems to have informed by constant forced readings of Noam Chomsky while eating Big Macs that have been left in the sun for too long, (hed) p.e. manages to insult either the existence or the intelligence of everyone within a 500 mile existence. On INSOMNIA, (hed) p.e. manages to insult women, conservatives, gays (they, uh, don’t call them gays), and longingly wishes for the Bloods and Crips and White Pride to unite and take over. Really. On “Tienanman Squared.” (Note to self: buy more ammunition. The Cor-Bor with the hollow tips). And you know what? Even while thinking that (hed) p.e., collectively, needs nothing less than being dragged into an alley and having the living shit kicked out them (leaving nothing but a pile of clothes) I still need to listen to INSOMNIA once a day.

There are a number of reasons why. “C2GU’ is a punk classic, scary and vindictive and angry, the ultimate breakup song from the viewpoint of the breakee. If the Vichy Chicks and their pathetic fans can have “Goodbye Earl,” well, there’s nothing written that says anyone has to take that crap, and “C2GU” is one antidote, if not the perfect one. “Comeova2nite” contains the immortal lines “fightin’ in the parkin’ lot/fuckin’ in the moonlight” which reminds me of what goes on at a certain restaurant in where I reside, and probably where you reside as well. “Children” is a weird, sloppy, creepy reworking of “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield. I can’t imagine what Steve Stills thinks of what they have done to his baby. Speaking of creepy, “Mirrorballin” probably goes beyond the peril. Like I said, that parental advisory sticker is there for a reason.

I’ve listened to INSOMNIA several times and am still finding new reasons to be enthralled and pissed off. This great work/piece of crap may well be one of the mile markers on the road to the fall of Western civilization. Which, I think, may well be (hed) p.e.’s intent.