Local larrikin Billy Bunks has teamed up with Nick 1 to present his alcohol-soaked, solo LP Spit And Gristle. With his uniquely distorted sense of humour and consistently inebriated perception, the Melbourne MC explores somewhat more unpleasant concepts generally frowned upon by society. Having said that, this is the essence of Bunks’ persona-a debauched, moral antihero. Examples of this supposedly repulsive individual’s twisted thoughts include: Hookers, Devil’s Clay, Tell The Kids and Filthy Man. Barnacle Bill’s black humour is ever-present on this 14 track offering.
It becomes apparent from tracks such as Devil’s Clay that Bunks simply does not entertain an interest for accepted lyrical concepts or certain schools of thought and style in Australian Hip Hop. He rhymes about literally slinging shit at unsuspecting strangers from a rooftop. The beat moves along nicely with a funky guitar loop and an understated string section. Nick 1 completes the track with some expert scratches. Interestingly enough, Devil’s Clay is the first single from Spit And Gristle with an accompanying filmclip. The moral deficiency of Bunks is clearly evident on Tell The Kids, a track highlighting the qualities not to be emulated by children. Nick 1 provides an eerie soundscape propelled by some fast-moving drums. Bunks deftly flows over this offering with ease, advising the kids to ‘…eat their leafy greens/and watch the streets coz their deep with fiends/the bottle’s got me/watch the laneways/packed with fiends with a cheap disease…’ Spit And Gristle takes an upbeat turn with the track Take The Bus. Nick 1 facilitates this change with a playful piano sample that contrasts with the remorseless theme of the lyrics. Bunks potently recounts a decisive dismissal of an anonymous dame he shared the previous night with. He thinks so lowly of her that she is told to ‘Take The Bus.’ It is a brief tale at one and a half minutes but amusing nonetheless as Bunks describes his disdain for the woman-typified by his soiling of her handbag. Take The Bus is an entertaining anecdotal track. Truth or fiction? You be the judge.
The first impression of Spit And Gristle is that of a typically aggressive offering from Melbourne’s resident booze bastard. But a deeper listen reveals a thriving humour and ability to tell an amusing story. Nick 1’s production is top notch, complimenting the contorted ideas often presented by Bunks. Spit And Gristle isn’t going to appeal to a wider audience through media such as Triple J, it isn’t going to rise to widespread acclaim but that isn’t Bunks’ intention. It is obvious he is content making his own brand of music regardless of other, less abrasive tendencies. This quality makes Spit And Gristle well worth a purchase.
