ADRENALIN O.D. - "Cruising With Elvis In Bigfoot's UFO"

Artist:  Adrenalin O.D.

Album: Cruising With Elvis In Bigfoot's UFO

Year:  1988

Genre:  Punk

This could have been a very simple review.  If I wanted to quickly express my feelings, all I had to do was type this statement, "Adrenalin O.D. were freakin' awesome!  Pick up any record (with the exception of the rather crappy final album Ishtar) and you will be an extremely happy thrash, hardcore, punk person."  Yep, that would cover it.  Considering the respect I have for what these guys did, I can't do that, so I'll proceed a little further with that sentiment.  The Garden State's own Adrenalin O.D. were the fastest of the fast.  Very few punk, hardcore or metal bands came close to the blurring speed they achieved.  What made A.O.D. special was their ability to make coherent and ear-catching songs while flailing away at maximum velocity.  They also spewed forth immensely humorous lyrics, yet easily avoided the dreaded "novelty" tag many bands garner when being funny.  These guys were comedians with instruments.  On their first slew of releases,  the over-the-top speed and humor knew no boundaries in an era when hardcore bands were slowing down and endlessly trying to demonstrate their tough guy image.  In 1988, A.O.D. made a huge musical change by incorporating the help of producer Daniel Rey (The Ramones,Gang Green) and also adopting a bit slower and more melodic style.  When bands embody a radical musical overhaul, it usually means the kiss of death.  For Adrenalin O.D., the result was the best record they ever released.

1988's Cruising With Elvis In Bigfoot's UFO saw them leave the hardcore and speed-infused nature of the band behind and let their punk side shine through.  Even though they laid off the accelerator, this album erupts with frantic, jump-off-the-record energy, and the lyrics are their most amusing.  The album's pacing and structure lets the vocal delivery take over and drive the songs.  The melodies and spirit are a model for the remarkable pop punk explosion which occurred in the early 90s.  A.O.D. played raw and from the heart, and the production is as lively as it gets.  The album subject matter ranges from a midget spaghetti western, to the horrible smells of touring, all the way to using Bulimia to have a food fight.  Thrown in among the originals is a superb Avengers cover of "Second To None," and their highly entertaining version of Henry Mancini's "Baby Elephant Walk" which makes me smile every time I hear it.  This record is 27 years old and I still have it in rotation on a regular basis.

Adrenalin O.D. were leaders and carved out a unique niche in punk rock, but, at least to me, it feels as if the legacy of A.O.D.'s music has been left behind and their own scene forgot they existed.  That's a shame.  Within the past ten years there has been a lot of media dedicated to the punk and hardcore of yesteryear.  You don't see them writen about in the books, or interviewed in the documentaries, and they are rarely mentioned at any time as an important band in the history of their genre.  If you haven't had the chance to hear this mighty band (and as stated previously, skip their final album...it's not very good) you need to familiarize yourself with some true hardcore punk innovators.  

Listen to "Theme From An Imaginary Midget Western" here.