If the Butthole Surfers and Jane's Addiction were to give birth to an illegitimate mutant offspring, the new creature would undoubtedly be Alice Donut.

On nearly all of their albums, particularly the last three, their music is tight, well-blended, establishing a distinct sound with no instrument dominating another except when necessary (ala Jane's). Underlying this is an almost hallucinogenic appeal and psychotic playfulness that leaves the listener wondering if playing a Donut disc is automatic grounds for damnation (ala early Surfers). Stylistically, singer Tomas Antona often sounds like he's paying his dues to Biafra, belting out songs about wasted humanity and deep regret that Charles Bukowski himself couldn't have written.

Pure Acid Park trades in a small portion of Donut's trademark in-your-face punk exchanging it for a more psychedelic groove. The disc kicks off with my favorite GenX non-anthem, 'Millennium,' a short track declaring "It don't mean a thing/Throw it all away/The new Millennium". Antona's punk angst remains evident in 'Cain' (about a grisly murder) and 'Freaks In Love' (about strange neighbors), but 'The Senator and the Cabin Boy' and 'Big Cars and Blow Jobs' steer the band toward the political. 'Shining Path' takes false idols to task: "I remember when I thought you had something to say/But you were nothing but a peddler."

The band, unfortunately, broke up at the end of 1995 after an extensive European tour. They had been together just over eight years. Perhaps they merely succumbed to exhaustion and will give it another whirl someday. We can only hope. Having seen them live four times I have to say they were easily one of the most lively, entertaining punk acts around.

-MR

Other Donut related items...
Alice Donut R.I.P. 1987 - 1995
Alice Donut Discography