The Dwarves – Are Born Again

MVD Audio

Where do you start with the Dwarves? Having listened to this album words like offensive and puerile spring to mind; I guess I am a bit older and wiser since I last listened to them. That being said  I do have few of their albums in my collection and on very rare occasions when the family are far away and I fancy some mindless political incorrectness I have been known to dig them out, although generally my GG Allin Hated in the Nation take precedence. My only experience of the Dwarves live was seeing them headlining a Sub Pop triple bill in the dim and very distant past, having been softened up by the Supersuckers and the Reverend Horton Heat, the Dwarves arrived on stage naked except for leather ski masks and having aurally assaulted the audience with five or six songs in ten minutes proceeded to physically assault them as well.

Listening to this album, I am transported to a world where the aforementioned GG Allin is God, life is shit and drinking, fighting and fucking is all there is to do. This place may exist but I am not sure that I like it – indeed who am I kidding I hate this place, but whilst GG has long departed the planet  It’s salutary  to be reminded that the Dwarves are still going after twenty five years, so I guess to quote the Dwarves somebody does still “want to get high and take some shit”.

Do I have to tell you what they sound like? Probably not. The songs are loud, fast,played tightly and mercifully short. Over their twenty five year career the Dwarves  have evolved – or devolved – from garage rock to hardcore to out and out punk and even pop, I kid you not. They do occasionally possess a fine if perverse sense of melody but the song titles really say it all:  “We Only Came To Get High,” “I Masturbate Me,” “It’s A Wonderful Life of Sin,” “Happy Birthday Suicide,” etc. etc.. The apparently now famous former member Nick Oliveri also plays on this album and it’s got some top ten producer, but who would know. If you like been assaulted aurally and aren’t of a nervous disposition then maybe this is for you, but if you’re easily impressionable or offended or have something better to do then perhaps it’s best avoided.

-Tim Marsh-