Peaches may have been crowned the new queen of filth, but it appears that her unusual stardom hasn't gone to her head -- it's still spewing from her crotch. The foul-mouthed, cuss-happy white-girl electro rapper is back with more infantile, sex-crazed rhymes that'll leave you wide-eyed in amazement.
Between the Peaches logo drawn in a '70s metal font and the picture of the Berlin-via-Toronto resident's disgustingly bearded mug on the cover, Fatherfucker is intimidating long before you even put it in the CD player. Of course, if you enjoyed the vulgar Teaches of Peaches, you're already familiar with her drill. Those new to the Peaches camp should prepare for lo-fi drum beats, occasional blasts of fuzzed-out guitar, and the inimitably foul-mouthed Peaches yelling, singing, screaming and rapping on the mic. However, Peaches doesn't merely rehash her stick; she's certainly here en force, but she also breaks new ground, demonstrating her ability to create subdued grooves when the occasion warrants it.
Peaches loves repetition. She drives her points far, far into the ground. Opener "I Don't Give A..." samples Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation", while Peaches angrily screams "I don't give a fuck! I don't give a fuck! I don't give a fuck!" The fiery out-of-the-gates assault may pick up where Teaches left off, but this vicious musical barrage seems intended more to get the crustiness out of the way than to revisit past successes. It sounds elementary, but don't be fooled -- Peaches isn't that desperate. There's much more intriguing stuff to follow. The punky "Kick It" is a duet of sorts with Iggy Pop. Peaches and Pop take turns citing each other's lyrics while a Stooges-era guitar and simple drum beat kick out the jams. It's silly, but addictive. "Shake Yer Dix" is Peaches' call-and-response bit. The carefree seductress sensually asks the guys to "shake yer dix", while the girls are encouraged to "shake yer tits". A buzzing keyboard riff adds to the fun, as the techno-laden groove gets you in the mood to drop that zipper or unbutton that blouse.
However, it's the less overt tunes that'll really win you over. "The Inch" seethes with sexuality but avoids the confrontational approach for which Peaches is typically known. The bouncing keyboard line adds to the tune's droning charm, and could even be mistaken for a lost no-wave hit. "Back It Up, Boys" pays tribute to buttocks with multiple layers of hand claps, dark piano notes, lusty vocals and late-night dance floor beats. It's sassy and sensual, delivering the goods without being grossly offensive. See -- Peaches has a semi-sweet side after all!
The three QuickTime videos included on Fatherfucker are worth a peep as well. "Rock 'N' Roll" will give you a feel for Peaches' outrageous live show, while "Tombstone, Baby" features a perverse knife fight between two women. Each slice cuts off a piece of clothing, leaving the two dark-haired beauties in their undergarments by the end of the tune. You'll either need to think about your grandmother naked or take a cold shower after viewing. "I'm the Kinda" displays a topless Peaches dancing about with her XXX cape in what appears to be a graffiti-littered Berlin. It may make you want to shower, too, but probably with hot water.
Fatherfucker's crass thrash guitar and venom-laced vocals may suck you in, but it's Peaches' clever lyrical references and arty electrobeats that will suck you off. It's filthy, low-budget fun that's still plenty fucked up, whether you're a first-timer or a hardcore Peaches fanatic.
