SCUD

Clay:  Something that you said about the Marvelous Beauhunks recently resonated with me.  I don’t remember if it made it on the mix tape, if it was in a meeting, or some drunken ramblings while you were amped up on Kona beer and Mod – but you said something to the effect of listening to this band makes you feel cool.  I really enjoyed the resurgence of this Canadian group with Who Said the Kids Were Alright? but there is just something about SCUD.  When I listen to this album, I want to do a couple of things.  First: I want to tell everyone on the planet to listen to it too.  Second, I want to high-five random people on the street.  Hell, I want to fly to Oshawa, ON and high-five every member of the band.  That doesn’t put me on the fast-track to crazytown, does it?

Greg: The Marvelous Beauhunks have never sacrificed their sound and style for, well, anything really;  even The Barenaked Ladies couldn’t hold them down. And to be honest, as much as I love Who Said the Kids Were Alright, SCUD brings about a whole new happiness. It is a happiness filled with black ties, mopeds and a feeling that the whole world doesn’t understand me and I don’t give a damn. Mod lives.

What surprised me most about SCUD is their copyright infringement on Canada’s glorious Fab Claxton when they re-worked “(Sha-La-La-La) Lights Out”. I certainly hope that guy gets royalties.

Clay: I’m not familiar with his work…

…In all seriousness, that track stuck out like a sore toe (that you stub when the lights are out).  When Fab joined the Beauhunks, he injected his quirky influence into their Mod music, but it still felt genuine where this feels like a cover (can you cover your own song?).  It is a great nod to their frontman to play one of his solo tracks, and I’m sure it is even more fun to play live than it is listening to the track, but its early 90s feel plays like someone wearing a hypercolor t-shirt in the movie “Alfie.”

Greg: While there are some great nods to the frontman, in all of his glory, SCUD is quite possibly the most well-rounded release from these gents to date. Combining two of their previously released singles (“(If Yer Gonna Dream) Dream Big” and “Where Are You Now?”) with three new tracks the guys show their versatility. Saying they turned soft on a couple of songs will not only prove you don’t know what you’re talking about but it will most likely invite a football boot to your hind quarters.

With The Marvelous Beauhunks I never can tell where they’re headed. I know they’ll stay true to themselves and their influences. I know they’ll keep moving forward regardless of those who still won’t listen (their loss). And luckily for me, they never disappoint.

NanoteamClay and Greg co-founded Nanobot. If not for the great distance and Canada’s indecision on letting them back into the country, they would attend every Beauhunks show.