Barnyard Ballers’ When Pigs Fly LP, is the band’s last album, recorded in 2013, but released now for the first time in physical form.  Music and lyrics were written by guitarist and vocalist Rob Kwait. Rick Stojak plays drums and none other than the mighty Kim Nekroman plays double bass. The LP is available in black and transparent violet, yellow, crystal with a yellow tint, 180g records in mat cardboard sleeve, released to coincide with the 30^th anniversary of the band’s debut album. 

I confess to having rather written this band off without giving them their due back in the day. It should also be said at the outset that if you do not have so much as a passing interest in metal, then this will not be for you. If, however, you like the harder more metallic and punky side of psychobilly, then it I likely that you will find much to like here. Indeed, I would go so far as to call it a corker of a record.

The album opens with pummelling drums and then heavy guitars chugging with shouted vocals, ‘Acid Bastard’ is quite a heavy and punky intro. It begins with the rather splendid lyric ‘Your mother was as ugly as I was high.’

‘Run or Die’ combines elements of grunge and metal based around a riff that is almost reminiscent of Nirvana, it is a corking song that betrays little by way of psychobilly. It has excellent drumming, a feature of the album in general, but on this particular track it sounds like double-bass drumming.

‘Bullies’ has a far more psychobilly feel, with metal influences to the fore. It has a familiar descending riff that sounds rather like the awesome ‘Venus Flytrap’ by the Deathcaps. Nice metal solos.

‘Insane Asylum’ has great vocal phrasing that is mirrored by the drums, it is a very well-crafted song.It has quite a stomping feel to it.

‘Notorious Pig’ has a psychobilly shuffle on top of which are metal guitars and a slappin bass. It is another well-crafted song with a strong riff.

‘Best Friend’s Mom’ is quite a heavy and punky number that in some way prefigures the Deathcaps.

The mid-paced opus that is ‘Chicken; features a nice off-beat drum pattern and is something of a marvel.

‘Race Is On’, which incidentally, is not a George Jones cover, is a gem of a track that melds White Zombie-esque metal sounds with slappin bass, the vocals are some of the best sub-Phillips that I have heard.

‘Ugly Chix’ is quite a thrashy number that sounds rather like Among the Living era Anthrax mixed with the Klingonz.

‘Bury Yer Bone’ begins with an interesting slap bass riff before developing into a slow groove it is a very nice track indeed.

‘Satan’ is another very slow groove with the lyric two, four, six,eight, who do we appreciate? Satan, Satan. It is a very dark track.

‘Anything For Beer’ is a complete contrast, it is up-tempo hillbilly/rockabilly with the bass and guitar taking turns to solo. The lyrics are ‘I do almost anything for beer’.

This is a punk and metalbilly classic. Whilst it is certainly not one for the purists, it is very inventive and was really quite a ground-breaking album.

Nick Kemp

Buy your own copy of ‘When Pigs Fly’ here