R.I.P. REVIEWS

Johnny Loftus (AMG)

On Halloween night, 2001, the Murder City Devils rolled back into their hometown of Seattle, WA, after another long tour. This was nothing new; in its six-year existence, the band had always used time on the road to sharpen the edge of its steely death punk knife. But things were different this time. The MCD were breaking up; the tour had been the band's last. A final, farewell All Hallows Eve gig would be recorded for posterity, and document all the blood, mud, and beer that the Murder City Devils had spilled. R.I.P. is a straight, off-the-board recording of the MCD's final concert appearance. Vocalist Spencer Moody, possessed of a voice pitched somewhere between Alice Cooper and Ian MacKaye, leads guitarists Nate Manny and Dann Gallucci, bassist Derek Fudesco, drummer Coady Willis, and fill-in keyboardist Nick Dewitt through an hour of pummeling, drunken punk rock that covers material from the band's entire career. Now, if you weren't in the back seat of the Murder City Devils' muscle car from the beginning, R.I.P. isn't for you. It's only essential for longtime fans, but that's not really a criticism, since the same can be said about any of the band's three studio LPs. The MCD put the hammer down with their 1997 self-titled debut, and didn't let off the pedal until the final, frantic notes of R.I.P. Anthems like "Rum to Whiskey" are even more tortured in a live setting. "She was the only decent thing in a good for nothing town," Moody screams over the song's scraping guitar line. Moody doesn't quit. "Do you remember your hand on the hem of her dress?" he pleads, as an organ seems to trace a chalk outline around his no-doubt prostrate frame. It's three and a half minutes that define as good as any on the album what was so special about the MCD in the first place — they understood as well as anyone the link between the Dead Boys and Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!
R.I.P. isn't one of these chintzy "live" recordings that fade between songs and alter the sequencing of the original show. Oh no, it's the real thing, complete with Moody's drunken song introductions (falling into a rut of "this next song is called..."), booze-soaked vocal and instrumental flubs, and microphones that cut in and out. Andrea Zollo stops by for a sexed-up run through "Boom Swagger" (Zollo is now the vocalist in Fudesco and Dewitt's post-MCD outfit Pretty Girls Make Graves); she arrives midway through the 19-song set, and it's the last 100 percent coherent moment on the album. When Moody and the band finally launch into "18 Wheels," one of their best songs, the sweat, beer, and blood spilled over the last hour almost spills out of the front of the CD player. But it isn't the end. Just as most of the farewell set was sprinkled with new, unreleased material, the Murder City Devils end the show with the new song "Grace That Saves." After four final minutes of frantic, drunken hardcore, the song's parts break down into squelch as each bandmember walks off-stage. Moody is left to repeat the song's mantra over wailing feedback. "This is a love letter," he chants. "I got your note, I'm on my way." And with one final thank you and an audible drop of the microphone, Moody and the Murder City Devils slink away into the All Hallows Eve night.

Amanda Petrusich (Pitchfork)

(3.0 rating)
It's quite possible that the Murder City Devils' farewell show on October 31, 2001 was a good time, and that concert goers filed out of Seattle's Showbox Theater sweaty, confounded, and wholly satisfied, eyes glazed and shoes untied. But the actual, fleshy experience is entirely irrelevant to its recorded counterpart: as a live release, the Murder City Devils' posthumous and aptly titled R.I.P. is a tiring, sloppy failure. In some ways, that's the point-- by 2001, the Devils had made a career out of ballsy metal-punk garage posturing, and their final performance maintains that spirit to an absurd degree-- but it's not enough make R.I.P. worth its weight in fake blood and chicken bones.

On 2001's Thelema, the Devils stopped smashing beer bottles long enough to give fans a quick glimpse of their songwriting potential, featuring some decent melodies and a lot more attention to instrumentation-- and structure-- than their previous albums. But shortly after its release, the band disintegrated mid-tour: keyboardist Leslie Hardy and bassist Derek Fudesco abruptly fled the group, and the remaining members (Nate Manny, Dan Gallucci, Coady Willis, Nick DeWitt, Moody, and Gabe-the-Roadie) agreed to dissipate forever following a final hometown gig. Unfortunately, what could have been the ultimate swansong for a band seventy minutes away from self-destruction plays more like a half-hearted, obligatory spurt from a tired, lifeless, group bored with their own gimmicky sludge.

As a collection of songs, R.I.P. is completely (and self- consciously) incoherent. It's also a physically distressing, head- twitching experience, opening with vocalist Spencer Moody slurring "I hope we don't disappoint!" before thirty drawn-out seconds of flat, monotonous electric guitar wail, followed by a viscous, gooey glop of power chords and banging drumbeats. This is the instantly forgettable "Bear Away".

Pretty Girls Make Graves frontwoman Andrea Zollo (DeWitt and Fudesco are now card-carrying members of PGMG) lends some shockingly expert vocals to "Boom Swagger", although it seems safe to assume she-- like everyone else-- was properly trashed (think of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's Karen O. not even trying to keep the Corona in her mouth while howling onstage); "Boom Swagger" is the highlight of R.I.P., thick with palpable sexual energy, muscular (if boring) guitar thrashing, and creepy (if belabored) organ lines. MCD chose to close their set (and their collective career) with a new song, "Grace That Saves", although there's nothing especially different about its dark, heavy guitars, throaty, unmelodic screams, and aggressive percussion. Wait, scratch that-- there's totally extra screaming on this one! Man that's loud!

Whether the Murder City Devils actually disappointed their fans that night is impossible to determine now. They had always been a band that aspired to a very specific kind of musical mediocrity-- more pomp, gore, and black leather than ingenuousness-- and even the album's liner notes admit "Good musicianship never goes out of style. Well, we had one shot, and we blew it." Still, any clear-headed Ramones fan knows that "good musicianship" isn't necessarily the cornerstone of a fine rock band; what the Ramones lacked in chops they more than made up for with heart, inventiveness, and character. The Murder City Devils don't display any such stuff here, and that, at least, will be enormously disappointing to anyone who shells out $12 for their send-off CD.

As with almost anything certifiably worthless, a perverse beauty emerges from the midst of crap: this record is so brazenly bad that it's almost-- almost-- good, mostly because of the obviousness of its faults: out of tune guitars, broken and/or exploding microphones, shit-faced band and audience members tackling each another, drum sets toppling, spotty sound, peripheral noise, indecipherable vocals, and plenty of beer-fueled pontificating. R.I.P. has a kind of entirely credible kiss-my-ass swagger that, while you're tossing the disc in the trash, will perhaps allow for a tiny, fleeting "Those wily little fuckers!" grin. After that, you will never, ever think about the Murder City Devils again. MDC: R.I.P.


Max Sidman (Synthesis)

Despite having disbanded in 2001, The Murder City Devils are one of those bands that will forever draw a constant trickle of new fans and maintain their core fans due to legendary status backed by truthfully powerful music delivery. This Seattle-based five-piece made more of an impact on the national rock scene in their five-year run than most of the so-called garage rock bands that are now crowding the airwaves ever will. What’s more, The Devils had already come and gone by the time most of the bands now compared to them even existed.
Those lucky enough to have witnessed The Murder City Devils perform live will feel a familiar rush to the head listening to R.I.P., a live, mostly unpolished recording of the band’s last performance ever, at the Show Box in Seattle. The evening’s play list — 19 tracks deep — plays like a greatest hits of the band’s catalog, culling tunes like “Boom Swagger” and “Dance Hall Music” from their eponymous debut album, “I Want a Lot Now” and “Cradle To the Grave” from Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts, “Press Gang” and the amazing “Rum To Whiskey” from In Name And Blood, and “Midnight Service At the Mutter Museum” from Thelema. The real flashback feeling comes from the rough polish of the CD’s sound. The show was apparently plagued by the kinds of things that plague rock shows — noticeable equipment problems, drunken band and crowd members and other glitches — but rather than take away from the quality of the album, it all seems to lend itself quite nicely, poignantly embodying a Murder City Devils show. Beauty in chaos.



Andrew Lau (Rasputin Music)

The Murder City Devils played their last show ever in their hometown of Seattle on Halloween, 2001 at the Showbox Theater and it's been released as R.I.P. (Oddly, ten years earlier that very same night, Seattle's best known band played an important hometown show that, really, should've been their last one as well. And I'm not talking about Mudhoney, a band who should play as long as there's an Earth to walk upon. But I digress.)

So where was I? Oh, yes, the Murder City Devils. This isn't the usual live album fare. Normally these things are nothing but bullshit ego trips set up to move the back catalog. The Rolling Stones' 1966 Got Live If You Want It is basically the band re-recording their hits (up to that point) in the studio and overdubbing the sounds of screaming girls. Grand Funk Railroad went as far as to open their 1970 Live Album with one minute and fifteen seconds of the crowd chanting their name. The audacity! Kiss' notorious live albums, Alive (1975) and Alive II (1977) are basically giant editing projects that make the band sound better than they ever could've hoped. Not so with The Murder City Devils. Out of tune guitars, shorting mics, mis-cues...just like an actual show. The gall! Then, pulling the ultimate live album rule-breaker, (last show rule-breaker, come to think of it), they play a song so new that it didn't have a name yet. Has that ever happened?

This is underground stuff. Proto-Jesus Lizard rhythms, Coady Willis' tasteful drumming and the skewed vocals (delivered in half talk/half sung style) of Spencer Moody is the basis for the Devils' sound. They toured and played their asses off. Did any of it pay off? In the long run, it doesn't really matter. For the fan, R.I.P. is a great token of appreciation. For the casual observer, it's a great token of what you missed.


Chaz Murphy (Decapolis)

I never heard the Murder City Devils until I heard this albums so forgive me if I am not knowledgeable of this band. It’s actually funny that the first time I heard them was their last album which is a live album of their last show. Their last show took place at The Showbox in their home town of Seattle, Washington on October 31, 2001, that would be Halloween. Since then the members of MCD’s have formed other bands, Pretty Girls Make Graves and Dead Low Tide.

I am not a huge fan of live albums unless it is done perfectly. By perfect, I don’t mean that everything has to be in tune and that there are no mistakes. I mean that the sound of the live recording has to fit the band’s style and how I would image them live.

The problem that I have with this album is that this is the first time I’ve ever heard MCD so I can’t really judge it by any means of personal experience.

RIP contains 19 live songs so it is a full album. I don’t like when bands put out a live album with only four or five songs on the album like Boy Sets Fire and Thursday. I believe that the recording does a great job of capturing the sound and personality of MCD that I would want if I went to see them play. The only problem I have with the album is in the recording. On some tracks the mic cuts out and the keyboards drown out the guitar and the song gets tangled and disrupted but they did what they could do in one shot. You only get one last show, well unless you are in Zao.

The MCD grew on me each time I listened to this album. I think this is a great effort for a band that isn’t around anymore.

Grade: B-


Ted Kane (Sponic Zine)

We lost a pretty good band when the Murder City Devils called it quits on Halloween, 2001 in Seattle. All of us that saw them on various bills throughout the years already knew it, and with Sub Pop’s release of their final performance we have a full-length document as evidence of their live prowess. It’s not perfect, but then nothing human is.

I’ve always thought that the Murder City Devils was an ironic name for this particular group of garage rockers. Not only do they hail from Washington and not Detroit, and despite their affection for the likes of the Stooges, they actually sound more like a Seattle band than one from the MC. Only it’s not the Seattle of Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney (well, maybe a little bit of Mudhoney), but rather the Seattle of the Sonics and Wailers that is evoked by their Farfisa organ-driven stomp.

This is a warts-and-all production, a true live recording rather than some overdubbed live/studio hybrid. The drunken ranting and occasional mistakes and false starts only add to the authenticity and testify to the band’s raw power and exuberance. The uneven sound quality, though, is a little more difficult to rhetorically dismiss. While the vocals are surprisingly distinct and the organ rings out, the rest of the instruments are pretty muddy. Towards the end of the CD the guitars tend to stand out a bit more, suggesting that the trouble stems from the soundboard mix at the show itself. Still, given the quality of the performance and the historic nature of the event recorded more than make for the technical glitches.

R.I.P. works on all the levels a live album is supposed to. It’s an excellent souvenir for people who saw them play through the years and it’s got enough juice to make them that didn’t wish they did. It also serves as a good parting gift for the group’s legion of fans. R.I.P, you Devils.



Greg Barbera (The Crutch)

Posthumous live show from the Pacific Northwest’s reincarnation of the Lyres on a ghoulish jag: They call themselves The Murder City Devils. I remember hearing their first single on Die Pretty and being pretty fucking exicted about it; Magnet ran a review of mine on the sonic 7-inch. Then I saw the band play to like 15 people at a Chapel Hill club and they dripped wax everywhere and lit their keyboard on fire and it started to be contrived. But then again, the Nation Of Ulysses still fucking rock while looking silly in their matching suits. It’s easy to see why The Murder City Devils were so popular in their hometown - the band often played to rambunctious crowds, making a live record of their last show a neccessity. I’m sure there’s a live record of the Archers Of Loaf’s final show in town or Polvo; it certainly could have been deemed necessary to the local indie rock contingent. What am I saying? Like the Dead Boys, New York Dolls, Misfits or Dead Kennedys, the Murder City Devils obviously had a plan and unhatched it. Unfortunately, like so many others with plans, the rocket ship fell apart along the way. But at least they still were exploring space, and you’ve got to applaud the explorers of the world.



By Ben Turner (the daily eastern news)

Live albums are great. Even if the sound quality isn't spectacular, live albums accomplish two goals - they serve as a comprehensive package, almost like a greatest hits, since most bands perform a wide variety of their catalog at shows and, second, they give fans all over the world a taste of what the outfit sounded like live.

Hailing from the great Northwest, and more specifically Washington state, The Murder City Devils were one of the few bands coming along in the post Soundgarden, Nirvana and Pearl Jam explosion that slipped under the radar of large audiences and mainstream radio. This was partly due to the fact that frontman Spencer Moody's vocals are so gruff it's almost painful for the listener and their explosive combination of post-hardcore and punk is crunchy and just flat out scares some people.

Even though Nirvana and company were called grunge, they were first and foremost punk bands and The Murder City Devils are in essence cut from the same mold.

On Halloween in 2001, The Murder City Devils played its last ever show at Seattle's Showbox Theatre. Luckily for us Midwesterners who never got a chance to see the band live (see: me), Phil Ek was on hand to record the show. Sub Pop Records just released the live recording under the name "R.I.P."

Covering a large spectrum of their catalog, The Murder City Devils roar through 19-live tracks coming from their debut all the way to new tracks the band never released in the U.S.

"Bear Away" leads things off and you're immersed in the Devils dual guitars, organ and Moody's howling. "I Drink the Wine" and "One Vision of May" do little to slow things down or give the ears a rest.

A couple tracks later, "Rum to Whiskey" and "Dancin' Shoes" continue the intense nature of the band's final performance. "Waltz" is the first new song the band performs that is exclusive to "R.I.P."

Prior to "That's What you Get," Moody introduces Nick DeWitt, who is filling in for the Devils customary organist and moog player, Leslie Hardy. DeWitt and guitarists Dann Gallucci and Nate Manny kick off "That's What you Get," which turns out to be the most complete track on the album despite Moody stumbling through a couple verses.

The show begins to go downhill a little after Zollo's cameo as being their last show I have no doubt the band, and Moody in particular, were probably heavily boozin' before and during the show.

The Devils close their final show interestingly enough with a new song. While "Grace that Saves" starts out especially strong, Moody's solo screams and heavy guitar feedback that dominate the song's closure, end an otherwise good album on a down note.

Despite its somewhat lackluster B-side, "R.I.P" is one fine live album and I had a difficult time removing it from my boombox. For those of you who may not be familiar with The Murder City Devils, this is perfect starting block as it offers tracks from the band's four releases as well as the Devils signature sound.


Jason (Indie Workshop)

Before I start, I want everybody to know that I am biased about this album. The Murder City Devils were essentially my favorite “current” band for the past couple years and I was really sad when they broke up (and then Jake cut them from the top ten list). That being said, I am so happy to have this live recording of the Devils’ final show. I just think it’s a good way to have a sort of “closure” about the whole thing.

If you’re not familiar with the band, they play a somewhat dismal, yet energetic, organ heavy rock and roll. Most songs have to do with drinking, rock and roll, truckers, lost love, etc.

Now, to discuss the live recording. The sound is really pretty good. The performance is not quite as good. It’s actually pretty sloppy, to be honest, but I think it’s a great representation of the energy this band had live. They didn’t go for any of that overdubbing crap that, in my opinion, nullifies a live album (it’s not live when you fix mistakes in the studio, right?). It’s also a good look at vocalist Spencer Moody’s onstage personality like his semi-awkward banter, rearranging of lyrics (check out Press Gang), etc. The liner notes have a note from the band that serves as a bit of a disclaimer as well. “…We had one shot at this, and we blew it”

The whole range of songs is represented here. Oldies like Murder City Riot and Broken Glass through greats like 18 Wheels, Rum To Whiskey, and Bear Away. There are two “new” songs on this recording- Waltz and the show closer The Grace That Saves. At first I thought it was odd to end your last show with an unreleased song, but I think it really works. The song ends with a bunch of noise and feedback and Spencer repeating the words “this is a love letter”. I was actually sad when the CD was finished (just like at every show I saw I wished they would play a few more) even though it’s a little over an hour long, and I’m not one to complain about an album being too short.

There is an enhanced portion of the disk that features clips of an unfinished video for the song Bear Away. It’s a shame the thing was never done, because it would have been an amazing video. It’s a must see for classic horror fans!

I could go on forever about this band, but I’ll just leave it at this. There will never be another Murder City Devils. Thanks guys. I really enjoyed it.


Subi (Punknews.org)

I hate listening to this CD, for it only reminds me of how stupid I am for not catching murder city’s last show. I didn’t even do anything exciting, I went to a different show or something silly like that. I was planning to go to it, too! Even worse – the openers were BOTCH (missed their last show as well) and AMERICAN STEEL. Ah, well. It’s ironic because I still have the show poster.

This CD completely kicks my ass. If you are planning to hear The Murder City Devil’s for the first time, I suggest that you buy one of their 3 albums (their EP, Thelema, isn’t the right place to start, either. It's a much more experienced and mature mcd. Their albums, however, are much more rock and exciting). Murder city is definitely an something to experience live. Spencer’s infectious moves and the charisma of the rest of the band is just stunning. However, they do not sound exactly like recordings. Bluntly: This CD is completely raw. If you’ve never seen the Devils live this is what you can expect of them – rowdy, eager, and not to mention drunk. Unlike typical pop punk bands, you won’t be hearing the same as on their record, they bring more to the stage. Spencer fucks up the lyrics a lot, and Coady misses a few beats, but that's what makes this cd better. This is the closest thing to seeing the Murder City Devils live, because it is not a practiced or recorded mcd, it is all of the energy and love that the Devils have brought to the stage over the years. Yeah, i'm reitterating the same point over and over. However, there is not much else to say. This CD is just astonishing. Because, hey, it's like the Devils live, and they were incredible live.

Also, if in fact you have NEVER heard the Murder City Devils before, I'll give you a quick run down. Basically, fast rock and roll with INCREDIBLE vocals. I can't explain the way that Spencers voice sounds - but it is nothing short of amazing. Most of their songs have something to do with a.) cowboys b.) truckers, or c.) sailors. It's very hard to think of bands that sound similar to them.. I've been listening to them for a while and I honestly cannot think of any other performers to compare them with. So just think fast rock and roll, amazing vocals, and fun lyrics.

There are two unreleased songs on this CD, Waltz (track 8) and Grace That Saves (track 19). While Waltz was an alright song, Grace That Saves is just PHENOMINAL. Towards the end it is mostly just Spencer and guitar distortion, and even though it was a new song it was definitely a great way to end the amazing career of The Murder City Devils.

Listen to this album twice through and you’ll be completely hooked. I promise.


Brian Polk (UCD Advocate)

During the short-lived career of the Murder City Devils, the group embarked upon non-stop tours, produced four records, and drank a load of booze. The outcome of this musical melee was - among other things -- a plethora of great tunes and an exciting live show.

Now that the group disbanded its record label, Sub Pop, decided it would be a good idea to chronicle the band's final show and for some reason release it on compact disc. The jacket of the CD reads, "(Live recordings) can capture the best and the worst of a live band, and anyone who's ever played a show knows that a lot of things can go wrong in a night, and this recording proves it."

Capturing a live performance on compact disc hardly encapsulates the concert-going experience. The Devils exuded a great deal of energy and charisma on stage that could never be experienced from merely listening to this release. Of course the disc contains video enhancements enabling the purchaser the ability to watch some of the of live show from a personal computer, but viewing the band in a swanky club packed with sweaty rockers is still preferred ten times out of ten.

Although other Murder City Devils albums come highly recommended by just about everyone who appreciates rock and roll, this album does little to capture the true experience of the band. Unless one has plans to complete the entire Devils' discography, RIP is not a necessity.


Peter (Screaming Bloody Mess)

After five years the Murder City Devils were starting to disintegrate (their keyboard player left mid-tour) so they decided to do one last show in their home-town of Seattle with a stand-in on keyboards. This cd is the recording of that last performance.

To clarify if you haven’t heard them, Murder City Devils weren’t a keyboard hardcore band like The Locust or Horse: the Band. The keyboard was played to sound like an organ, with a very full (something is standing in those shadows) organ sound. To clarify further Murder City Devils weren’t really even a hardcore band. They were like a goth/pirate drunken rock band or more precisely THE goth/pirate drunken rock band. What AFI could be if they weren’t so sad about their makeup running or Alkaline Trio if they drank whiskey instead of beer but both bands would still have to get a lot more backbone.

If you want indication/proof of how good this cd is try to download ‘Boom swagger’ or other highlights such as ‘Press Gang’ and ‘Bear Away’. There are lots of drunken dedications and thankyous throughout and it sounds like everyone was getting a bit sentimental. All in all the show lasts for over an hour with 19 tracks, 2 of which are new. There’s also an enhanced multimedia section which includes photos and scenes from a partly made video clip for ‘Bear Away’ which was based around a reenactment of Nosferatu.

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