Track Listing

1. Sweat Loaf
2. Graveyard (1)
3. Graveyard (2)
4. Pittsburgh To Lebanon
5. Weber
6. Hay
7. Human Cannonball
8. USSA
9. O Men
10. Kuntz
11. Twenty Two Going On Twenty Three

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #51785 in Music
• Released on: 2003-06-23
• Number of discs: 1

CD Description
Widely considered to be the Butthole Surfers' crowning achievement, 1987's LOCUST ABORTION TECHNICIAN plays to the Texas acid-rock band's strengths, unveiling one twisted tune after another. The album begins with "Sweat Loaf", the group's skewering of (and/or tribute to) Black Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf", and then moves on to the sinister, lumbering "Graveyard".As always, the gleefully subversive ensemble's calling cards are Paul Leary's blistering guitar lines and Gibby Haynes's maniacal yelping and distorted crooning.
Although the Surfers aren't afraid to offer up a fairly straightforward punk song (the rocked-out "Human Cannonball" hints at their future accessibility), these mad sonic scientists seem most comfortable making listeners uncomfortable, as on the closing "22 Going on 23", which happily and intrepidly pushes the limits of offensive subject matter. Though some Surfers diehards (particularly those frightened by this record's surely Gacy-inspired clown face cover) favor the group's earlier work, most fans will attest to the bizarre majesty of LOCUST ABORTION TECHNICIAN.

Customer Reviews

Daring, but not for the narrow-minded
I have no idea whether there is a devil, or what music the devil might listen to, but I'd imagine his favourite album sounds something like this.

Butthole surfers care NOT ONE JOT about commerical marketability or even listenability, and they have to be admired for that. It's almost as if the band sat down and said "What can we do to create as inaccessible and offensive-sounding an album as possible?"

They've succeeded admirably. The opener to this album, 'Sweet Loaf' is probably the closest thing to palatable that most listeners will be able to find, containing some truly rousing guitar work, and a tempo that will get the blood pumping.

'Graveyard' then introduces listeners to the characteristic Butthole Surfers sound; scuzzy, sleazy guitars and a production so blunt and harsh it could make Big Black sound like The Mamas and the Papas. 'Pittsburgh To Lebanon' takes a similar approach - aggressive, threatening vocals and a typically droning, rough musical sound. This is oppressive, make no mistake.

'Weber' is a rather pointless 35 seconds of what is basically noise, whilst 'Hay', featuring backwards drums, guitars and the sound of people cheering at Lord knows what, sounds like something Charles Manson would listen to. Ever heard 'Revolution 9' by the Beatles?

'Human Cannonball', meanwhile, is slightly more upbeat, containing at least something of a tune, whilst also sounding slightly similar to something off 'Atomizer' by Big Black. 'U.S.S.A.' is yet more screeching, noise, feedback and general dischordant racket, truly sounding like the soundtrack to a Bosch painting. Shady wouldn't do it justice. Most people would probably be begging me to switch this off if I played it at their house. Quite admirable, really - such a thing isn't easy to achieve.

'The O-Men' is a actually quite fantastic; an upbeat, uptempo, ridiculously energetic amalgamation of unrelenting drums, repetitive guitars, and what sounds like someone doing 'scat' over the top of it. It's certainly unique...

Then we are treated to 'Kuntz', an Eastern-infused piece of music with an Asian gentleman using what sounds like the word 'c**t' over and over again. Not one to be played when the grandparents are round then. 'Graveyard', on the other hand, would be a strong contender for the second best 'song' on the album, after 'Sweet Loaf'. It contains yet more of the same grungey guitars, but a truly great riff which works it's way into your consciousness and stays there. I was entranced by most of the songs on this album after only two listens. Then again I consider 'The Holy Bible' by the Manic Street Preachers to be a feelgood album.

Album closer '22 going on 23' is utterly horrific, containing the sound of a radio phone-in, featuring a woman who has recently been sexually abused. It's GRIM, disquieting listening, but then again, why shouldn't such issues be used within art? It's not as if it's being condoned, just highlighted. Despite such seriousness, this song also contains some of the most sublime guitars on the album, crushing the notion that this band don't have talent and are only about making a noise.

Some of this may sound horrific, but the album actually has great cohesion. It's no-holds-barred experimental approach is bold and daring, tried only by the fearless, and listened to by the same. Some of it may admittedly be a racket, but it's a fearless, edgy and focused racket which is presumably meant to provoke a reaction in the listener. Isn't that what art is supposed to be about - provoking a reaction? Besides which, there's some truly great guitar on here.

In terms of 'grim-sounding' albums, people are always mentioning Joy Division, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins or anything by Big Black. This album may just top them all.

heavy stuff
ok, i've got hairway to steven, electriclarryland and independent worm saloon but none of them could have prepared me for this album. sure it's similar in many ways but somewhat heavier, stranger. Not the sort of album i can listen to all the time.
If you haven't heard any surfers before i would say it's a bit like nirvana's early, heavier and more demented sounding music. if you're buying your first surfers album i would recommend electriclarryland.
Otherwise this album is different, disturbing, weird and a joy to listen to if you're in the mood for some psychedelic freakout music.

My first Butthole experience
As a huge Nirvana fan I was keen to explore the sound of the Butthole Surfers after I read that they were one of Cobain's favourite bands. I had not heard a single track from the band and am guessing that many other music fans may be also unaware of their music. For that reason alone I have decided to review this album. The band hail from Texas and formed in 1981. Locust abortion was recorded in 1987 and was the band's third studio album. First I have to say that it doesn't make for easy listening and while the sound is reminiscent (and obviously an inspiration) for early Nirvana the songs are slow and dark. Track 1 "Sweat Loaf" takes 30 seconds to begin and initially sounds like a soundtrack from a 1980's space movie before yelling "Satan!" and breaking out into a thunderous guitar riff. The opening vocals are eerily similar to the guy from The Hives. It's not really much of a tune but you can imagine it thumping out live in small, sweaty, packed out venues across the States back in the pre-grunge years. Track 2 "Graveyard" is again not unlike early Nirvana in sound but the spoken lyrics are much darker and sound like the guy from the Saw movies ! It's not going to be an album to snuggle up to the girlfriend with and to be honest if it were I'd insist on separate beds. It's pretty scary ! Pittsburgh to Lebanon takes on a bluesy feel and is nothing special. Track 4 "Weber" is over in 35 seconds and while I welcome any band's anti commercial attitude the point of half a minute's noise has been lost on me. However Track 5 "Hay" did grab my attention. Again it's a short blast ( under 2 minutes) but it instantly made me think of the Prodigy's Jilted album. Track 6 I do like. Pounding drums and great punk like vocals creating a sound similar to Jesus And Mary Chain and one of the more accessible tunes on the entire album. U.S.S.A is thought provoking but unlikely to be played in public due to its sound akin to a whale being slaughtered. Most listeners would abandon the album at this point but for those of us intent upon sticking at it we have the delights of "The O-Men". Indeed the Omen film doesn't seem so scary when compared to this brutal track which is somewhere between scat-punk and death metal. Then we are transported to an Eastern land where we are presented with a soothing oriental track defamed with a guy yelling the C word and it's not Curry. The album is getting weirder with each track. "Graveyard" shocks as it actually has a tune ! It's the second most accessible tune on the album and is a decent rock song. The album closer "22 going on 23" is pretty disturbing featuring a radio phone which a sexually assaulted woman calls. This is the darkest ending to an album I have heard. In the same way as I dig out my trusty Dogtanian DVD to calm me down after watching the Ring I'm off to listen to Mariah Carey. All in all this album shocks. It's impossible to categorise and while it may not be a record full of singles I will definitely be giving it a lot more listens.