Ever the characters out to put on a show, 9 o’clock Nasty are back with another flourish of garage rock that’s delectably wacky and out there. ‘Sex’ is 9 o’clock Nasty veering into a subject they don’t often tackle. More along the lines of larger scale societal and political issues, the group often brings their rambunctious energy to that realm rather than the more mundane and day to day. But on ‘Sex’, 9o’clock Nasty explore relationships and the intricacies, troubles, and consistent perils they carve onto us. The result is a record that sounds more groovy, infectious, and funky than anything they’ve put out before.
Kickstarting with ‘Do Me Too’, a tongue in cheek song about jealousy in polyamorous relationships, they bring a certain naivety and cute lyricism with a much more punchy and hard instrumental arrangement. It’s simultaneously cheeky and aggressive. ‘Whatever you do, whatever you do, do it, do it to me too’. On ‘Indoor Boyfriend’, the guitar work is more sublime and smooth than its ever been. It’s slick, effortless, and stylish. The vocal performance, the harmonies on the track make for a blues record straight out of the 70s. It’s got that old school high fashion vibe that makes for something exceptionally entertaining. ‘What Have You Done For Me Lately?’ takes the entire ante up ten notches, incorporating sizzling electric guitars driven by a solo that has you absolutely astounded. It’s pure hard rock. Swagger and without impulse, it’s 9 o’clock Nasty at their best.
As a single record release goes, ‘Sex’ is the best piece from this group yet. They’ve found a balance between swagger, substance, and their own eccentricities in the best way possible. A bit of the old, and a bit of the new, rally up for a short and sumptuous piece of hard rock and blues.