A perfect display of chaos.

The San Antonio-based Butthole Surfers have never been a normal band and their new release, Live at the Leather Fly, proves it. To start, the supposed venue where the album was recorded doesn’t even exist. There is no exact timeframe for the recordings either. It’s speculated to be recorded sometime in 1992 after the Surfers’ infamous Lollapalooza set but we can’t be too sure. 

In classic Surfers fashion, the LP is chaotic. All 21 songs are served with infectious, punk freakiness. With stellar mixing from guitarist Paul Leary, along with lead vocalist, Gibby Haynes, bassist Jeff Pinkus and King Coffey on drums, Live at the Leather Fly puts the band in their element and the listener out of their comfort zone.

The mixing is experimental, using backward taping, reverb and echo. These effects make the lyrics almost unintelligible for a new listener but they turn the songs into a completely new experience. 

The album’s opener, “Graveyard,” trudges in and sets the tone for the entire hour-long LP. It starts off fat and heavy, with throbbing bass and piercing guitar. Haynes’ vocals are as distorted as ever but he still complements the instrumentals perfectly. The track later devolves into glorious muck, laying waste to the foundation of the track – not letting you forget what the Surfers are about.

The LP itself is quite cohesive and would make an entertaining live show if the venue actually existed. Each song perfectly transitions into the next – the mosh pit would’ve been magical. 

Beneath the almost constant layer of grime and chaos lies some extremely talented instrumentalists. The rhythm section, composed of Pinkus and Coffey, corroborates with just about any genre thrown at them. From the fast-paced “You Don’t Know Me,” to the slow groove of “Blind Man,” the two work great together and elevate the band’s sound. 

Leary and Haynes’ work is always front and center but they still manage to sneak up on the listener with their earnest talent. Leary’s insane, acid-fried riffs in “Some Dispute Over T-Shirt Sales,” along with Haynes’ effect-ridden vocals, are what create the grime punk sound the Surfers are famous for. The chaos must sound good at times and these two ensure it does.

The standout track was the longest song on the LP – the almost ten minute long “P.S.Y.” It has little to no vocals until halfway through but it doesn’t feel lacking. The guitar acts as its own vocal backup using sound effects and screeching. The rhythm section sounds confident, perfectly accompanying anything Leary chooses boldly. Once Haynes joins in, the song evolves. It turns into an impressive display, fitting for a great live performance. It feels like the Surfers prioritize a good trip over a completely polished sound and it suits “P.S.Y.” perfectly.

The Surfers deliver a nonsensical album performed at a nonexistent venue at an unspecified time but the music they play is nothing short of brilliant. Punk is not dead and as the Surfers reveal, it will outlive us all.