Butta Grunge
The Outsiders

Tracks:

1. Sister Stallion
2. Mother Waits
3. Sometimes
4. The Threads Remain
5. Misery is what you make it
6. D.G.E.
7. Swollen Memory
8. A Classic Way to Die
9. First Lace Soldier
10. Friend
11. Sister Stallion (reprise)

Produced, Engineered and mixed by Junior J Botha
Co-produced by The Outsiders
Recorded at Stylus Studios

Musicians:

• Paul J van Rensburg: Lead Vocals
• Frederick W Botha: Acoustic & Electric Guitars
• Alister-James Annear: Bass
• S W Wentzel Olckers: Drums, Harmonica & Organ
• Nicolas Flowers: Concertina

Release information:

1993, Gresham Records (CD: CCDDGR 1241 Cassette: ZDGR 1241)

Review:

Hailed as South Africa's answer to Nirvana, The Outsiders debut album'Butta Grunge' starts well with a roaring burst of guitar and rough vocalsof 'Sister Stallion'. A good solid start full of promise that is not quiteas desperate as Kurt's wailings but few were. But once we are finished with'Sister Stallion' all comparisons with Nirvana seem to fade. Oh well,nevermind.

Comparisons with The Mission do quickly come to mind though as they seem tomove more down the road that leads to Goth. The rest of the album tendsmore towards this genre with hard rocking tunes, painted black and touchedby the shadow of No Friends of Harry.

The strong support that the group got for the track 'Sister Stallion' resulted in a support slot for Depeche Mode during their SA tour, but beingthe closet cockroach kid that I am, I feel that 'Mother Waits', the secondsong on the album is a much better offering than 'Sister'. It's a classicgoth tune similar in feel to No Friends of Harry's 'A Long Way Home'.

Another clever piece on the album is the opening to 'Sometimes' which workssome accordion sounds into the opening movement, and it does work. Thefirst known recording of boeregoth?

The goth motif is firmly lodged in place by the closing track, an angst filled reprise of 'Sister Stallion' sung against a church organ background.(Although the hidden 'track' of mooing cows should not be ignored (HeiferMetal?). Although the Outsiders don't quite attain nirvana, they didproduce a quality debut album full of tuneful goth rock, but..er grunge?Not quite.
-- John Samson, SA Rock Digest #112, June 2001

Webpage:

• The Outsiders

All info supplied by John Samson, July 2001.