Maybe you can't judge a book by it's cover...but records are an entirely different matter. I'm not sure if the fellow on the album sleeve is Cripples mouthpiece Shawn O'Brien, but whomever is striking that rather pointed pose would probably suggest to the potential listener they might be in for a cheeky listen, to say the least. O'Brien, as they say, is a character, more specifically one that possesses a timbre that sounds like a sardonic amalgam of Buster Poindexter and Huey Lewis. His bandmates however aren't quite on the same page, conjuring up the feel of the Plimsouls and to a lesser degree the Flamin' Groovies on the winsome and melodic title piece. Elsewhere, these players are patently '80s. Without a doubt, O'Brien is the heart, soul and crutches of the Cripples, so if you ain't down with his none-too-serious m.o. What's in a Name might grate on your nerves a tad. I'd still give this a whirl, if only because I appreciate where these chaps are coming from musically.By the way, the Cripples made an appearance on the soundtrack to the 1980 flick, Cruising.
01. What's in a Name
02. Easy Access
03. Heart Like a Boxer (For Lisa)
04. Real to Real
Hear
5 comments:
Thank you Spavid for this EP!!
Do you maybe also have their LP?:)
I thank you once again:)
You're welcome.
Nah, I haven't come across the LP as of yet. Maybe someday.
Whew... This was a tough listen. The music was perfectly fine, poppy angular new wave-y stuff. But those vocals... I tried, believe me, I tried to get into the vibe they were trying to create, but the singer's voice never let me settle into the music. Thanks for posting, though. I never would have heard of it otherwise.
can you please re-post this ep? i've been loving these guys music since hearing them on the cruising soundtrack but i can't find any of their other music
Thanks for this EP, sir! It's not what I was searching for, but is appreciated nonetheless. In the film Crusing, beginning at about 24:45, just as Al Pacino's character is about to hit the leather bars, there's this awesome raunchy rock instrumental. The two Cripples tracks on the soundtrack suggest that this one, too, might be one of theirs – yet even though it's a really great song, it's not on the soundtrack. If anyone has any ideas about this, please share!
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