John 5
“Careful with That Axe”
60 Cycle Hum Records
Tracks: 10
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
“Careful with That Axe” is the latest solo release from guitarist John 5. The 9th solo release from the former Marilyn Manson guitarist and current Rob Zombie guitarist the 10 track instrumental album covers immense musical ground as 5 and his cohorts are unleashed on your ears like bees exploding out of a freshly broken hive.
Tracks like the albums opener “We Need to Talk about John” feature Zombie like overdubs which gives the album a familiar feel right off the bat while the guitar virtuoso meticulous shreds in the back ground making you well aware of what you are in for with the following 9 tracks. The album quickly gives way to a diverse make up of material like the rockabilly tinged “Six Hundred and Sixty Six Pickers in Hell” and the in your face “Flight of the Vulcan Kelly” before traversing to the flamenco like styling’s of “El Cucuy” and the hauntingly down tuned “Portrait of Sidney Sloan”. Combine all that with two signature Jerry Reed songs “Jerry’s Breakdown” and “Jiffy Jam” which showcase John 5’s impressive picking skills and you have a very unique listen.
You don’t have to be a guitarist to enjoy the over the top instrumentation, eerie overdubs and/or crunching heavy metal rhythms as John 5’s “Careful with That Axe” speaks to everyone. The only downfall I could find worth noting with this release was that there were only 10 tracks as John 5 and company left me wanting more.
Track Listing:
1.) We Need to Have a Talk about John
2.) This is My Rifle
3.) Flight of the Vulcan Kelly
4.) Jerry’s Breakdown
5.) Six hundred and Sixty Six Pickers in Hell
6.) Portrait of Sidney Sloan
7.) Jiffy Jam
8.) Villisca
9.) El Cucuy
10.) The Dream Slayer