Album Reviews

Just like “Brainless God”, Direct Hit’s latest album is once again something of a concept album. Inspired by William S. Burrough’s Naked Lunch and Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, “Wasted Mind” is a drug and paranoia fueled trip into the minds of these Milwaukee punks.

Sounds like this could be a real downer, right? Well, as far as trips go, this one is all highs minus the comedown. Direct Hit have always fit right in with other awesome Midwestern punk bands like Banner Pilot and The Copyrights, but they seem to push themselves a little harder when it comes to experimentation. And I’m not just talking about illegal substances here. There’s horns and keyboards and bells and all kinds of stuff popping up all over the album, lending every song a different vibe and making “Wasted Mind” a pretty diverse album.

Apparently Direct Hit wrote “Wasted Mind” like a mixtape where each song has its own identity. That’s how come you have all-out ragers like “Paid In Brains” alongside “Infinite Pills, Infinite Alcohol”, a song that could be the soundtrack to a twisted carnival ride. While there are a lot of different flavors to be found on “Wasted Mind”, the energy and melodies are a constant that runs through the entire album and which tie everything together nicely.

Besides being catchier than herpes, the songs on “Wasted Mind” also sound great thanks to All-American Rejects’ Mike Kennerty. Put everything together and you have an album you do not want to miss out on.