It’s hard not to be leery of any band that defines itself as a purveyor of New York Scum Rock, as these gents do on the cover of their second LP. (Stuff like that always makes me think of those hideous “punk fashion” window displays Macy’s put up in ’77. Anybody who’d wear a $400 leather jacket with the word “PUNK” spelled out in studs across the back would just have to be an asshole, y’know?)
Anyway, the Reverb Motherfuckers combine the funny-punk tendencies of some NYC-area hardcore bands with genuinely screwy guitar-smoked huzz. Imagine a version of Shockabilly in which both Chadbourne and Kramer were still into Zappa and downs. Cross that horrible result with Adrenalin O.D. and you’ve got something similar to these guys’ lesser stuff. RMF does have its moments, however, and there’s no denying that Route 666‘s silkscreened cover was one of the decade’s best.