For those too young to remember, Mucky Pup were the original pioneers of juvenile novelty metal who's blueprint later proved very profitable for the likes of The Bloodhound Gang, The Vandals, Guttermouth, Green Jelly, and Blink 182. Whilst never moving beyond a cult following in their native US, Mucky Pup went on to achieve far greater success in Europe, where they toured extensively with the likes of Biohazard, Gwar, Primus, and Carter USM before splitting in 1996, with members going on to form the notorious Dog Eat Dog. These reissues mark the 20th anniversary of the band's landmark albums A Boy In A Man's World and Now.

Unfortunately, Mucky Pup's legacy proves their undoing here. When compared to the likes of The Bloodhound Gang and Guttermouth who took the template to it's extreme, these two reissues sound weak, tired, irrelevant and, ultimately, unfunny. 20 years ago, Mucky Pup were a fresh and novel prospect. Today they just sound like a badly played blend of Suicidal Tendencies and Faith No More, topped off by weak novelty vocals.

There is some nostalgic pleasure to be derived from these reissues, and it is certainly interesting to see where the novelty acts of the 1990's learnt their tricks but, essentially, Mucky Pup were never as slick as The Bloodhound Gang, as offensive as Guttermouth, or as infectiously catchy as The Vandals, and unfortunately have very little relevance in the 21st century.

Rating: 2/5 by Luke Grahame

Tracklisting

1. U-Stink
2. Batman
3. Someday
4. Reagan Knew
5. Landscrapers
6. Never again
7. Death By Cholesterol
8. P.T.L
9. A Boy In A Man's World
10. Little Pigs
11. All's Cool
12. Jam It
13. Whasky Wabbit
14. Big Freeze
15. Hippies Hate Water
16. Three Dead Gophers
17. Jimmys
18. Baby
19. She Quieffed
20. Feeling Sick
21. Headbangers Ball And 120 Minutes
22. My Hands, Your Neck
23. Face
24. Hotel Penitentiary
25. Mucky Pumpin' Beat
26. I Know Nobody
27. Walkin' With The Devil
28. Yesterdays
29. To Be Lonely

Further links

I Scream Records.com

Online home of the European hardcore label

Mucky Pup.com

Website of the original pranksters, Mucky Pup.