The Cooters: Various Reviews of The Moon Will Rise Again CD

StonerRock.com
Review by: Rob Wrong (StonerRock.com)
February 7, 2004
link to the review
The Cooters - The Moon Will Rise Again
T-Bone Records
Release date: Available now

The Cooters have an over the top sound that is totally different than most of what is going on these days. It's a rock and roll sleazy hard sound that is somewhere between cow punk and metal, that is to say these guys are from the south no doubt.

Musically at times these guys have a repetitive sound that just kind of circles around your head. Chunky thick overdriven guitars that have something constantly going on whether it's the pummeling on the double bass beat rhythm power chords or the noisy am-rep styled crust open chords.

The guitar player doesn't play leads often (or maybe just often enough!), but when he does it's fast and furious metal/rock and roll/blues based madness...like something out of a B slasher western movie, like back to back with a Cramps song if that makes any sense. You could almost compare these guys to the Butthole Surfers or the Cows in the respect that they throw a lot of psychedelic stuff in there- acid sax, echo effects- although their sound is that of more of a precise machine with no slop. These guys are tight and that alone is a big part of their sound. Also noted that the inside cover of the CD is pure comedy gold! Holy crap! That along with 'Unclaimed Furniture' is worth the purchase alone...heheh. These guys have a sense of humor no less, and a great odd sound that would sound good cranked up in a drop top 60's Caddy screaming down the desert highway at night on the way to Vegas.

Vocals are often spoken or sang with a strange melody that reminds me of something Gibby from the Butthole Surfers would do. You could also compare these guys to Kung Pao; at least the Cooters give off the same kind of vibe...that would be a double bill not too miss! The Cooters obviously like I said have a lot going on, but I think it's safe to categorize them in with space rock bands because there are a lot of long jams that are mainly variations of the same riff...gotta love it.

Check this one out if you like Heroine Sheiks, BH Surfers, Jon Wayne (the band) and Kung Pao as mentioned above. Also, if you remember the Denver Colorado band Grimace (there are two bands named Grimace) you will probably appreciate this. Same kind of metallic guitar sound without the strange whammy pedal...rock!

Metalliville website UK
by Glenn Milligan January 30, 2004
link to the review
The Cooters - The Moon will rise again (T-Bones Records - 2002)
7 out of 10

Hailing from Oxford, Mississippi, The Cooters are a highly entertaining bag o' 'billies who I'm sure must have changed their names sometime in the past and were actually members of some crazy 80's grindcore bands. They go by the names of Judas Cooter (Drums, Vocals and Alto Sax), Raw (Guitar, Vocals, Tenor Sax) and Neuter Cooter (Bass, Vocals, Moog, art and design)

It's metal and completely nuts - take the hectic 'Purge' for instance and 'Purge Reprise', strangely enough, straight after it - bizarre or the cracking 'Punch yer neighbor'. 'Unclaimed Furniture' is an absolute hoot - a 'cooter hoot', I add which is actually a phone call to audition to become a singer in a band - it's OTT and well worth checkin' out. These guys even have there own 'Cooter Theme' that a bangin' bit of country that's perfect for a barndance.

This is zany, southern humoured and a 100% grower. File in between your 'Lawnmower Death' records and your Emmerdale 'Woolpackers' album that you stole off your mum.

Perkele: stoner rock website from Italy
link to the Perkele review
also published in NoiseItalia http://www.noizeitalia.com
review by Alessandro Zoppo - January 12, 2004
THE COOTERS The moon will rise again
Rate: 7/10

The Cooters are really crazy! Their second cd (revieiwed in late from the year of release,2002) looks unusual and illogical. "Trash" artwork, dubiose taste nicknames as Judas Cooter (Mike Namorato, drums), Raw Cooter (Gentry Webb, guitars) and Neutre Cooter (Newt Rayburn, bass) and an incredible sound from the first to the last song.

This three fools from Mississipi nonchalantly mix metal, jazz, noise, garage, stoner and punk with a good deal of simpathy and fool attitude wich is a further advantage. It could synthesize their work in two important songs: "Soul food" with a big groove and incessant time and atmosphear changes wich reminescent Primus's crazy works. "Dare to defy" words slow and obscure until explodes in sound deflagrations just like in a Clutch's cd.

The remainder of the work is made of short histerical and instrumental pieces with biting riffs or excentricities (morbid telephone conversation in "Unclaimed forniture"). Screaming vocals appair from time to time ("Purge", "Punch yer neighbor", "The Cooter theme") but the all listening is catched by the ability in blending so easily severals styles witouth false note.

We should reward this imprudence and sardonic spirit: The Cooter seems like fresh air...

Here's how it read in its original text: Italian

Ma quanto sono folli questi Cooters! Il loro secondo cd (purtroppo recensito con notevole ritardo rispetto all’anno d’uscita, il 2002) si presenta subito come un prodotto fuori da ogni canone e logica: artwork al limite del trash, nomignoli di discutibile gusto come Judas Cooter (il batterista Mike Namorato), Raw Cooter (il chitarrista Gentry Webb) e Neutre Cooter (il bassista Newt Rayburn), e un sound che spiazza dal primo all’ultimo pezzo.

E già, perché questi tre pazzi provenienti dal Mississippi mischiano con grande disinvoltura e perizia tecnica generi tra loro distanti come il metal, il jazz, il noise, il garage, lo stoner ed il punk, il tutto unito ad un’ampia dose di simpatia e attitudine “cazzona” che non guasta mai. Si potrebbe sintetizzare il loro disco attorno ai due pezzi centrali della tracklist: “Soul food” ha un groove devastante e tanti cambi di tempo e d’atmosfera che richiamano alla mente il lavoro schizzato dei Primus; “Dare to defy” procede lenta e ambigua per poi esplodere in crude deflagrazioni sonore che sembrano uscire da un disco dei Clutch.

Il resto del cd invece è basato su pezzi più brevi ed esagitati, prevalentemente strumentali e incentrati su riff taglienti o bizzarrie varie (una malata conversazione telefonica presente in “Unclaimed forniture” ne è ottimo esempio). Vocals urlate ed animalesche appaiono di tanto in tanto (“Purge”, “Punch yer neighbor”, “The Cooter theme”), mentre ciò che colpisce per tutta la durata del dischetto è la maestria dei tre nel saper fondere così facilmente vari stili senza provocare bruschi contrasti o accozzaglie senza alcun senso.

Tanto coraggio e un carattere così sarcastico vanno premiati, con tanta gente che si prende troppo sul serio al giorno d’oggi band come i Cooters sono ventate d’aria fresca…

Monolith: the Doom and Heavy Rock Asylum website
website based in Greece
reviewed by RegularPaul
link to the Monolith review
January 2, 2004
Rate: 10/13

OK, I admit that my 1st impression of the Cooters based on their artwork and their general attitude was damn wrong. I was expecting another uninspired punk rock band that blends all kinds of influences just to get on the bandwagon.

Well, these crazy fuckers left my jaw hanging when I finally did the right thing and actually listened to their music. It’s pure blessed rock’n’roll with a stoner metal edge to it that will get you on the dance floor right away. That could be in your room, just a space to express all the energy the Cooters will produce.

Unstoppable riff attack (the song purge should be used to poison young guitarists minds and lure them into heavy music), relentless drumming, groovy bass lines and a few vocal parts, sometimes funny (PUNCH!), sometimes distorted (forever cooters) that complete the overall madness of the cd.

If you need comparisons to understand what the Cooters stand for, think something alone the lines of the Skatenings, Scissorfight, Burnout or Motorhead.

But don’t take my word or anyone else’s for that matter. Just grab the record and get lost in cooterville. The land of hell yeah…

StonerRockChick.com
reviewed by Deanna St. Croix
Posted: Oct 28, 2003
link to the StonerRockChick review
Band: The Cooters
Album: The Moon Will Rise Again
Label: T-Bones Records
Release Date: 2003

Psychedelic punk! These guys rock so hard! Okay so I'm alot excited. I haven't heard anything sounding quite like this. Is there such a thing as psychedelic punk? who cares, The Cooters are trippy as fuck space rocking metal cowboys! These are songs that should be heard in crazy faux western horror flicks. This music is colourful and interesting. Obviously these guys have pretty sharp and innovative imaginations, to make music this wacky and metal.

These guys have been together playing music since 1993. Ten years! Where the hell have I been? Granted, I had only ever heard their songs on mp3.com (four from the current album - The Moon Will Rise Again are available for your listening enjoyment). Regardless, this album easily is one of the best albums of 2003. We're talking real heavy metal, not this nu-metal or blah metal bullshit and the best part is that there is nothing typical about this album - anywhere. These guys are just out and out wacky as hell. (Apparently they opened once with some Black Sabbath played on a banjo). This album was put out on T-Bones Records, home of many Trip Hop and Rap bands. Very strange pairing but it worked out really well it seems.

There is so much I could say about The Moon Will Rise but I'll try to keep it to some of the songs. 'Soul Food' sounds like Frank Zappa crazed up on steroids. 'Punch Yer Neighbour' is raw and dirty punk fused with progressive sounding metal (Sex Pistols meets early Voivod).'Dare To Defy' is a long blast of groove metal (probably my second favourite tune off this disc). 'The Cooters Theme Song' is a swampabilly good time! Throw in a prank phone call for good measure. It's funny as hell. Vocally singer Raw is all over the spectrum - from robotic sounds to death metal grunts and all in between. Also, the guitar shrieks and grinds and jumps all over the place. The guitar is pushed up front, all loud and proud. A total onslaught of crazy rocking psychedelic punk!

The Moon Will Rise Again is quite possibly one of the best discs released this year. Because the music is just so absolutely out there and executed so well, The Cooters are sure to be a huge hit with musicians and non-musicians alike. This is fun music which just happens to be pretty complex and textured.

They have a remake of Ace of Spades on a CDr sampler which is supposed to be wicked. (If someone has this let me know) And, you can download or stream all the songs off this album on the band's site at http://www.thecooters.com. How cool is that?

Roadburn website
August 23, 2003
link to the Roadburn review
The Cooters - "The Moon Will Rise Again" [CD - T-Bones Records]

Normally I'm not too into joke bands, but these mississippi maniacs are an actually funny joke band that make pretty damn good music when they rear back and let fly. Album opener, "Cootersaurus," is a great little vamp that rocks like no tomorrow. They have chops galore and a variety of vocal flavors. think clutch with saxophones and a judas priest fetish...

Sleazegrinder: The Last of the Rock and Roll Motherfuckers
link to the Sleazegrinder review
website from Boston, Massachusettes
The Cooters - The Moon Will Rise Again CD

The Cooters are from Oxford Mississippi, which is one hell of a place for a rock and roll band to be from. Now, before you dig out the straw hat and start making tobacco spittin’ sounds, lemme just say that not only is Oxford the home of the University of Mississippi (“Ole Miss” her damn self), but it’s also the birthplace of Nobel prize winning author William Faulkner. They may also butcher hogs and chaw tabbaca there, I dunno, but they got culture, too. Perhaps most notable about Oxford, however (to cats like us), is the stun-gun stoner metal of it’s favorite wayward sons.

On “The Moon Will Rise Again”, the Cooters show a remarkable proficiency for rooting out the dustiest of rolling grooves and chasing them across the fruited plains like it’s Custer’s last stand all over again. Closest kin for most of the ride would be Karma to Burn, and like those pioneers of epic riff-dom, the Cooters have the good taste to shut the fuck up most of the time, and let the rock do the talking. The opening trio of neo-instrumental tracks (there’s a little bit of muffled yellin’ going on, too)- “Cootersaurus”, “Purge”, and “Purge Reprise”- are mammoth, bruising chunks of Super Rock, like a razor-saddled Dirty Power gone shootin’.

Elsewhere, there’s “Soul Food”, a 6 minute epic of thunder-riffs, skronking sax, and mondo-distorto vox, an aggro fighting anthem called “Punch Your Neighbor”, a shitkicker cow-metal rave-up (“Cooters Theme”, natch), and even weirder stuff, like a phone call from a psychotic redneck who wants to audition for the band, and the last 21 seconds of every Cooters show. Oh, and at least two of the songs shamelessly cop the “Earache My Eye” riff, probably on purpose.

Somewhere between the Baker Gurvitz Army and Frank Zappa (Alright, young-stuff, The PB Army and Mr Bungle, then) lies the Cooters, and I bet that’s exactly where they wanna be- weird, loud, and heavy. All at once.

Calamity Project webzine - April 2, 2003
www.calamityproject.com
the cooters "the moon will rise again" t-bones records

the cooters is a band i had never heard of up until i got this cd. the cd art threw me off big time, as i thought i was gonna get something poppy and happy sounding. this is quite the opposite. this album blurs the lines between metal, punk, and rockabilly, and isn't pop in the slightest. the cd's predominant sound has more of a stoner rock kind of feel to it above all, but with the sensibilities of punk, rock n' roll, and heavy metal. vocals are present on this record, but they seem to be sparse, and only coming in at certain moments. the band seems to let the music speak for itself. the vocals kind've remind me of scissorfight's iron lung, in that both bands have this kind of low kind of gritty trucker sound to them. the music itself is devastating in it's own right; using the aforementioned influences, they create a sound that is sonically charged and pounding at the same time. it's like being in a demolition derby and getting smacked around on all sides. this cd also features guest appearances by saxaphone player jim spake, and brad boatright. this record definitely took me by surprise, and kept me hooked from start to finish. fans of fudge tunnel, scissorfight, and balls out stoner rock should grab this.

Profane Existence fanzine
November 2002
www.profaneexistence.com
the cooters "the moon will rise again" t-bones records

The second full length experience from the Cooters, "Mississippi's only punk metal band." I say "experience," because that's what listening to a Cooters CD is: a full on immersion into punk, metal, and blues-laced stoner rock. Neuter Cooter was the original guitar player for Pissed and has brought back the anthem "Purge" here in a slightly faster and way more intricate, Cooterfied version. Most of the other songs are pretty standard rock'n'roll, but the sing-along bits and sarcastic lyrics give away their punk rock origins. There's no actual lyrics printed on the CD cover, because you can figure most of them out by listening to the disc. On the other hand, the CD cover is taken up by loads of great artwork that give you an insight into the politics and attitude of the band, even poking fun at the stereotypes people have of Mississippians and Southern culture. If the likes of Nigel Peppercock, Three-Fingered Demon or the Hellacopters light your fire, then this one is smoldering! — Dan (Profane Existence #40)

Static-Void.com Reviewed by Vic D on March 11, 2003.
The Cooters - The Moon Will Rise Again LP on T-Bones Records (2002)
Vic D's Rating: 7 out of 10
www.static-void.com

What the hell is this??? It looks like a classic cult horror B-movie. Ridiculous colors, graphics, mascots and stage names... Wow, someone remembers when music was fun.

Stoner Punk.

These dudes are from the South - it's obvious. It's like a more interesting version of Andrew-WK. Not that much in the way of vocals, which are mostly screams here and there. A really good prank phone call is on here, too.

It may not be the most "inspirational" or "revolutionary" record in the world - but it's a good listen and a lot of fun.

The Cooters - The Moon with Raise Again (T- Bone Records)
Lowcut Magazine #13 (from Copenhagen, Denmark)
rated "Fantastic... like in really, really good!"

The Cooters are a self made phenomenon from Mississippi! The band plays a crazy mixture of intense, funny and rocking stuff. The CD opens with an intense instrumental with some ripping Ted Nugent style guitar. Purge is also mostly instrumental and intense, surf rock or something. Purge reprise brings in some guitar soloing and crazy madness. This must be great high energy stuff live! Soul Food continues the assault but includes some sax by legendary Jim Spake (Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis) and strange vocals. The track really changes at the end with some acoustic stuff. Dare to Defy is a slower more noisy affair with some affected vocals. Punch yer Neighbor is a song with some ripping lead guitar and funny lyrics. Unclaimed Furniture starts with a phone call with some crazy fucker who just won't shut up. Next is the Cooters Theme song, which is a rocking mutha of a song but in a sort of crazy country style. Amen ends the CD with a crescendo of only 21 seconds. There you go, rock and roll, Mississippi style! -Scott