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MC5 – Heavy Lifting Review
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Loading...Howdy, folks! Your friendly neighborhood AEW Dynamite live coverage, PPV previewer, and pinch-hitting coverage friend Ryan here, but I am not here for any of that. No, what I am here for in this instance is to breathe new life into the music section, and to do that, I am going to be providing completely randomized reviews of albums from this year. There are two that were released this past weekend that I want to cover first, but I will be posting some from earlier this year that I want to share the good word on.
So, with that in mind, let’s take a run around my first contribution to the music section of 411!
MC5 – Heavy Lifting
Release Date: October 18, 2024
Genre: Hard Rock/Funk Rock/Punk
Band Lineup:
Wayne Kramer – Rhythm Guitar/backing vocals.
Brad Brooks – Lead Vocals
Stevie Salas – Lead Guitar/backing vocals.
Vickie Randle – Bass Guitar/backing vocals.
Winston Watson – Drums
Dennis Thompson – Drums (Two tracks)
Track Listing:
1. “Heavy Lifting” (3:20)
2. “Barbarians at the Gate” (4:19)
3. “Change, no Change” (4:04)
4. “The Edge of a Switchblade” (4:16)
5. “Black Boots” (2:53)
6. “I am the Fun” (The Phoney)” (3:35)
7. “Twenty-Five Miles” (3:54)
8. “Because of Your Car” (3:02)
9. “Boys Who Play With Matches” (3:10)
10. “Blind Eye” (3:16)
11. “Can’t Be Found” (3:48)
12. “Blessed Release” (3:03)
13. “Hit it Hard” (2:42)
Yes, you read that right, MC5 have released a new album, over half a century after the last album of new content from the “classic’ MC5 lineup, which was 1971’s High Time. Over the past 53 years, the band has seen many stop-start reunions, became a touring vehicle during the mid-2000’s to the early 2010’s, and finally started new work on an album back in 2022. As the legend of the band grew, it became about more than just the “classic lineup,” as noted artists from other bands stepped for the MC5 name to continue. Chief among them was ex-Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil, former Dictators lead vocalist “Handsome” Dick Manitoba, former GNR guitarist Gibby Clarke, and Faith No More bassist Billy Gould, among others. As the years went on, only Kramer and drummer Dennis Thompson lived long enough for the start of this project back in 2022, so Kramer enlisted a new group to make this new record a reality.
And so that brings us to Heavy Lifting which is going to be the final album of new material from the band as, sadly, both Kramer and Thompson (who did appear on two of the songs on this new album), passed away on February 2nd and May 8th, respectively. That doesn’t mean that we cannot enjoy this album released posthumously of two of the final original band members.
Even though the name of MC5 only has two remaining members (as of the time of the recording of this), it’s not like the rest of the members on this album sound out of place at all. Brooks oversees the lead vocals with so many voices that you think he had multiple personality disorder. Take “I Am the Fun (The Phoney),” where he runs the entire octave scale over the course of less than four minutes. And on some cuts, he sounds loud and in control (the title track, “Black Boots”) but can also take a soulful, low-hum approach to the leads (“Change, no Change,” “Because of Your Car”) and he sounds like he could have been an original. Same goes for Salas, who trades bountiful licks with Kramer throughout, and both Randle and Watson, who make up a fantastic rhythm section. Watson sounds loud and bombastic on some tracks, with Randle also getting vocal work to make her stand out on “Change, No Change” and “Hit it Hard.”
Lyrically, there is the soul of that original punk rock/rebellious rock across a lot of the songs, namely “I Am The Fun,” “Black Boots,” and “Boys Who Play With Matches.” They also tackle current social issues on the title track, “Blind Eye” and “Can’t Be Found.” They also have some “love song” elements to songs such as “Twenty-Five Miles” and, to a much lesser degree, “Because of Your Car.” Also, something just hits (no pun intended) differently on “Hit it Hard,” especially when Brooks ends the song (and the album) with, “Everyone’s love is equal here.” It’s a lament that fits both the current state of the band and the original incarnation of it as well.
Despite the album coming in at a whopping thirteen tracks, one of the biggest compliments that I can give it is that no song ever overstays its welcome. In fact, the longest song on the run list is “Barbarians” at 4:19, and eight of the thirteen songs sit comfortably in the three-minute range, with two of them not even reaching that mark. It makes for a much quicker run time despite how many songs there are, and the vast differences in styles also makes it a speedy and breezy listen.
As I mentioned above, the band has had multiple artists within the group to continue the original MC5 flame, and in that vein, this album features multiple guest spots. Ex-Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello guests on the title track, Slash and Alice in Chains guitarist/vocalist William Duvall jam out on “Switchblade,” Tim McIlrath of Rise Against appears on “Black Boots,” and Vernon Reid of In Living Color provides an awesome solo on “Can’t Be Found.” Also, as mentioned previously, original drummer Thompson appears on “Blind Eye” and “Can’t Be Found,” which you can hear the stylistic differences between him and Watson. That’s not to say that Thompson didn’t bring it, but he wasn’t as bombastic as Watson on his tracks.
In conclusion, the fact that this album even exists should be celebrated, and while it is a shame that final two members of the original incarnation worked on the album but didn’t get to see it released, we should still appreciate this fine album of a baker’s dozen tracks. You need not have been around for the first formation of the band to appreciate this delicate balance of hard rock, punk stylings, and hybrid of funk and soul that makes every track standout on this album.
Recommended Tracks: “Change, no Change,” “The Edge of the Switchblade,” “I Am The Fun (The Phoney),” “Blessed Release,” and “Hit It Hard”
