The debut from this New York indie rock trio shows
the Barnyard Playboys attempting to blend country with hard rock, or at least adding a brashness to their
Railroad Jerk-inspired sound. Led by singer/guitarist John Lyons' reckless and honky tonk approach, and backed by the furious rhythm section of bassist Adam Freeman and drummer Joe Baxley, the group chose its approach and stuck with it throughout the 18-song disc. With songs like "Keep the Honkytonks Open," "Flat Butts & Beer Guts," and "Terminal Case of Morning Wood," the band's beer-soaked bar roots shine through. The band marches through "Breaker 1-9," an ode to truck driver culture, with seething tension, and on "Total Feces" the band attempts a lo-fi juvenile art piece. But
Ween has nothing to worry about, with the track sticking out like a sore thumb as the disc continues with tracks like the rollicking and testosterone-fueled "Terminal Case of Morning Wood" and the jittery "Screwtop Bottle." After the band stretches to prove its country sensibilities on "Cowboy Shirt" and "Cowboy Gun," and references
Hank Williams and
George Jones on "Blue Demim Diapers," the disc sputters to an end with "Home on the Road." Despite
the Barnyard Playboys' undeniable sincerity, the disc is clearly a one-trick pony, as the band never seeks to create anything outside its self-created box. Rubric Records released the disc in 2000. ~ Stephen Cramer