PICK OF THE MONTH

WESLEY WILLIS FIASCO >> LIVE E.P. CORNERSTONE/ RAS

You’re walking down a street in Chicago when the biggest, blackest, most schizophrenic man you’ve ever seen approaches, bellowing about how he whups horses asses. Do you run? Do you give him a dollar? Hell no, you give him a recording contract. Why?

Because he’s Wesley fucking Willis, that’s why!

Though his professional career only spanned a few years, this lyrical behemoth recorded 20 independent albums, many of which were solo projects featuring nothing but Wesley, his feelings, and a Casio keyboard. Now, thanks to the good people at Cornerstone/RAS, you can hear his live show with a full backing band, Fiasco. But just because Wesley traded the Samba and Tempo buttons for a four-man rock act, doesn’t mean his performance is selling out. Each track on Live E.P. is a unique, emotional train wreck. Simplistic masterpieces like “The Bar is Closed” and “I Can’t Drive” are tantrums at life’s little foibles. Then “I’m Going to Kill You” takes his fits to a whole new level, belaboring the point for good measure: “Look out stupid jerk, I’m going to shoot your freaking head off. I’m going to blow your brains out. I’m going to shoot the life out of you. I’m going to kill you (X 8).”

Wesley’s unashamedly repetitive style may drive you mad (“Rock and Roll McDonalds, Rock and Roll McDonalds...”), but it’s really no worse than the average pop song. Considering the standard Aerosmith single lasts five minutes, has only three verses, and zero imagination, suddenly a 320 lb, thorazine-popping street singer screaming about “blood, guts, and firetrucks” sounds like a pleasant change of pace.
-By Eric Seeger