Date: Saturday, May 31, 2003 @ 14:25:00 EDT
Topic: Music Reviews
Band: Donkey Punch
CD: Nobody's Gotta Know
Released: 2003
Produced by: Ben Began @ 40 oz Sound (Ann Arbor) except track 4, produced by Mike Relay @ Secret Studio
Mastered at: Solid Sound
Band Members: Eric Day (vocals & keys), Aaron Brink (guitar), Christopher Lee (bass), Todd Waters (drums), Brian Drake (trumpet), Todd Bauer (additional trumpet), Garrett Mendez (trombone).
Click "Read More" below for Mitch's review.
review by Mitch Phillips
So I'm at this fancy house party seeing how the other half lives (indoor heated swimming-pool, his & hers new SUV's, plasma-screen tv, and a new boat on a man-made lake surrounded by plush green lawns), and I strike up a conversation with the only person at this party whose net-worth is currently less than mine; the hostess' 18 yr old niece who is now jobless between semesters. She moved in with her upper middle-class aunt last year to put some distance between she and her troubled parents (long story) and to help get her on the fast-track to material success (i.e. college ->career ->suitable marriage ->lake-front property). But last year, in a sudden attack of "what am I going to be happy doing for the rest of my life", she changed her major from business to journalism. Ah, a kindred spirit.
Knowing she's probably the only person at the party who might give a damn, I ask her if she's ever heard of Michiganbands.com.
"Oh yeah," she says nodding. "I've been on that site lots of times." My ears perk-up.
"You have?" I say a bit surprised. Despite our ever-increasing traffic, I've never actually met a non-musician who frequents MB. "That's our site," I say, trying to hide my pedestrian pride. "Webmaster Rick and I, that is."
"No way!" she exclaims sincerely. "That is so cool."
What the hell; I'll take 'so cool' if I can't get the money-gig.
Inspired by her enthusiasm and interest, I try to turn her on to some local music I think she'd like. Let's see, she's young, cute, friendly, bears midrift with hip-huggers and wears leather sandals. I suggest a cool ska band out of Ann Arbor called Donkey Punch. That elicits even more astonishment.
"No way!" she repeats wide-eyed. "I can't believe you know who Donkey Punch is! I love that band! Donkey Punch kicks-ass!" Ok, so she didn't hear it from us, but at least my instincts are on. "I can't believe anybody would actually name their band that!" she adds laughing, eliciting a quizzical look from me. I hadn't really thought about the band's name, thinking it only a clever pairing of words. Pardoning my ignorance, she whispers the definition of "Donkey Punch" in my ear: apparently, a sexual maneuver whereby the male, during doggie-style intercourse, punches his female partner in the back of the head just before climax, causing her muscles to contract for his pleasure.
Whoa - has sex changed that much since I was eighteen?
Well, for our purposes, Donkey Punch is a seven-member ska-punk (skunk?) ensemble that originated on the campus of the University of Michigan in 1998. Their third release, "Nobody's Gotta know" includes four high-energy, horn-pumpin' tunes for youth-culture skate-punks and one slower gem entitled, "Stay Away" - which may be the only waltzing-ska song I've ever heard. The production, arrangements, performances and writing on this release are top-notch and, with the exception of being too short (only five tracks), it's nearly flawless. Although most of their music is charged with head-bobbing optimism verging on sticky, sun-ripened bubble-gum, the lyrics are spiked with enough misogynistic sarcasm to twist a young girl's innocent smile into an affronted grimace. Heres' just a few morsels...
From "In the back of my car" : "Plese don't turn me down / down / down / don't turn me down, honey, or I'll turn this car around."
From "Sorry to say": "Oh, my love / I'm so in love, It's true / Sorry to say, it's not with you..."
From "Stay Away" : "I'm not nearly as cool / as I've led you to believe / I'm a scum-bag / I'm a liar / and I think that your should go / Stay away / stay away from me / stay away 'cause you'll be sorry....'cause most likely I won't be sorry..."
This is a highly-recommended, retail-worthy release for local ska fans. And that opinion comes with an independent confirmation from an eighteen year-old coed who, maybe, hasn't listened to the lyrics too closely- or can't remember them due to a curious lump on the back of her head. - Mitch Phillips
Track Listing:
1. In the back of my car
2. She's a disaster
3. What can I do?
4. So sorry to say
5. Stay Away
Listen To Donkey Punch on MP3.com.
Visit Donkeypunchrock.com
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