The Rugburns Taking the World by Donkey

From The Pit...

Taking the World by Donkey is the third, finest and first major label release by the Rugburns. The Rugburns are now on Priority Records home of such music luminaries as Ice Cube. Maybe they'll all do a song together some time.

The Rugburns have a reputation for wild, crazy, fast live shows. Their first album, Morning Wood, failed to capture this energy, though it has some great stuff on it. The second album, actually an EP, Mommy I'm Sorry, captured more of the Rugburn's energy with tracks like "The Fairy Song" and "Dick's Automotive", but was way too short. The boys seem to have got everything right this time with Donkey. It's got the right mix of rockers, and sensitive guy ballads.

The first single, "War" is an awesome song getting mucho airplay on 91X . How can you not love a song that has a verse "We drank tequila and watched your Mom dance at the Bambi Club?" This is of course after your sister is complimented for making "me feel good last Christmas/in your mom's station wagon behind 7-11."

Next is "The Ballad of Tommy and Marla", which sort of reminds me of "Dick's Automotive" mated with Natural Born Killers. After this is a song for the guys, a good excuse for the girlfriend let's have sex song called "Now's Not the Right Time for Love."

There's a lovely little duet with Jewel called "Old Lover's House." I like it because it makes me think of Jewel. Sigh....

Then there's the love song about the "Girl With the Wandering Eye." For some reason "Lockjaw" from Mommy I'm Sorry is thrown in here too.

Next is a song I think the Rugburns co-wrote with my Dad called "Suburbia". My Dad isn't credited though. He usually doesn't like to steal the limelight. "Suburbia" is about crazy, wacky, kooky life in suburbia (What a shocker). Officially closing the album is "Hangover", a song for the truck driver in all of us.

There are two unlisted songs on the album. The first is for John Lentz and is called "Your Ghost". The album as a whole is also dedicated to Lentz who was gunned down in Balboa Park on May 1, 1994. It's a pretty depressing tribute to Lentz, who apparently was a big Rugburns fan.

Closing out the album is that Christmas classic you and Grandma will soon be singing around the fireplace, "I Hate Fucking Christmas." I can't wait to hear Grandma lamenting about how hard it is to get cocaine at Christmas time, can you?

Overall, this is a great album, a must have, an instant classic! It's got a good beat and I can dance to it, Dick!

Oh, and a special note to the Rugburns from my friends and I. Please don't forget to play "Dick's Automotive", and "Fairy Song" next time. Thanks, babe. You're a sweetheart.