The Raunch Hands "Learn To Whap-A-Dang!" 1990

Fun album, play loud!No matter how far rock music has strayed from its basic roots, there comes a time in every era and scene when audience attention rushes back to the pure and driving sounds of blues and rockabilly. This group came along at just such a time and place. No matter how rococo various private and underground clubs in New York City's East Village were, and no matter how far out some other bands were getting, the Raunch Hands brought back a roots approach that was well received, and extremely refreshing. Musically, there is nothing the least bit new in a single note played by this group. That apparently was the whole idea, but one of the attractive elements of the group is that it goes for the entertaining, goofy side of this style of music rather than trying to project the deadpan, ultra-serious image of roots rockers in plaid shirts. Live, the group went for cheap equipment and the type of ambience that has never been transferred successfully from the barroom to the recording studio, let alone to the larger venues that might be part of a band's upwardly mobile career path. Thus, the recorded legacy has to be taken as a distant second to the live experience of seeing this group on-stage. Learn to Whap-a-Dang With the Raunch Hands is, overall, one of the group's most consistent recorded efforts. The humorous cover art adds to the enjoyment of an album that rocks hard pretty much all the way through, not so much peaking in this highlight or that but providing nary a letdown, either. The rhythm section of bassist George Sulley and drummer Vince Brinicevic is excellent. - by Eugene Chadbournetrax:
01 Ford 02 El Rauncho Grande 03 Mess Around 04 Storm Warnin' 05 Spit It On The Floor 06 Man Needs A Woman 07 Wildman 08 Never Comin' Home 09 What Yer Doin' 10 Getcha Some 11 Whap-A-Dang 12 Country Fair 13 Thunderbird 14 Is It True 15 Chicken Scratch 16 Kangaroo Juice 17 Upset Her 18 Black Jack 19 Tube City 20 Exotic 21 The Stroll