I know I’ll get hammered for it, but I’ve never been totally converted by Piebald. Sure, some of their stuff has been great, but in my eyes they’re far too inconsistent for the plaudits they seem to continually receive. But from all the comments I read on PT, it would seem I’m pretty much in the minority. As a result, I imagine a lot of people who read this review will really like ‘Killa Bros and Killa Bees’ – it features a CD of extra tracks and bonus songs, as well as a full blown DVD with live tracks, videos, home movies and interviews. It’s one of those DVDs which completists will love to add to their collection.
But for non-fans, I doubt there’s anything here which will convert you. The bonus tracks and b-sides are quirky – yet in most cases are several shades of shit. The demo versions of ‘The King’ and ‘Put Your Slippers on Instead’ are nowhere near as good as the released efforts, while newie ‘Catch You’ is just a bit odd. In short, if you want to listen to Piebald, buy one of their real full lengths because it’s far better than some of the dross on here.
However, the DVD itself is much better, although I’m not sure how much listening a non-fan would give it. The home movie footage and general goofing around may be funny on the first watch, but doesn’t really appeal on the second viewing, let alone the 10th. There are some interesting looks into the writing process, but on the whole the Jackass-esque misbehaving can be seen on any band’s DVD. The live performances, however, are plentiful and aren’t too bad. They tend to feature the band’s more well-known songs too and rather than from one entire gig, the live songs are mix-and-matched from throughout the band’s career. I’d give this 7 out of 10 for a fan and 5 out of 10 for a non fan, resulting in a 6 out of 10 score. There’s no doubt fans will appreciate this more, but even though I’m as objective as I can be, I still think this could have been a lot better.
Side One Dummy
paul