Fu Manchu - We Must Obey

Rating

single starsingle starsingle starhalf star

RIYL

Monster Magnet
Clutch
Nebula
Nashville Pussy

Label

Century Media

Tracklist

1. We Must Obey
2. Knew It All Along
3. Let Me Out
4. Hung Out To Dry
5. Shake It Loose
6. Land Of Giants
7. Between The Lines
8. Lesson
9. Moving In Stereo
10. Didn't Really Try
11. Sensei Vs. Sensei

Users Rating

Create an account or log in to rate this album

Your Rating

Create an account or log in to rate this album

There’s no beating around the bush on this one: It’s been rumored – and actually, scientifically documented – among some circles that I’ve got a hard-on for stoner rock. I’m here today before my fellow Decoy readers to confirm these allegations. Now, sometimes in the past I might have been a little generous on handing out scores to stoner rock bands, but today, I am fully conscious, fully sober, and fully aware that I’m acknowledging Fu Manchu’s We Must Obey as a truly kick-ass record.

Fu Manchu is the best dumb-guy stoner rock a guy could ask for. Their music is and has never been complex, but that’s never been their intention. No, they like their volume at 11 and like their riffs mammothly obese. And you know what, it works for them... most of the time. Though their past two records, particularly 2004’s Start the Machine, were sub-par, the Fu has returned to do what they do best: rock-the-fuck-out.

Lyrically dumb and musically shallow, you might wonder what the appeal of this band is, but then you simply might have forgotten what it is like to rock. Whoops. I meant RAWK! This band, like many of the riff-first-bong-rip-second stoner rock bands, the Fu is just a fun hard-rock band that’s a nice departure from overzealous prog-rockers and deflated crybabies. Remember the scene in Beerfest when team USA attempts their first keg, and they turn on the Bulletboys’ “Hard as a Rock”? Any track from We Must Obey could have easily been substituted in its place.

At a wickedly short-but-sweet 36 minutes, We Must Obey is easily the band’s best release since 2000’s King of the Road. Obscenely huge guitars dominate the album throughout, but the quality production shouldn’t go unnoticed because as loud as the guitars are, they don’t drown out the vocals or drums whatsoever. If simple, blues-heavy domination isn’t your forte then this album is not for you. But holy crap, if it is then you’ll love the cock-rocking swagger of “Let Me Out,” “Knew It All Along,” and “Shake It Loose.”

Dumb, pointless, and retardedly masculine, We Must Obey is an awesome hard-rock record that exists solely to remind people that rock doesn’t always have to be progressive or innovative but simply gratifying.

--Kamran Rouzpay

Author

Kamran
Last updated: 09/29/2009 08:55PM

Comments

M.J.Austin
02/07/2007
09:17AM
Location
Dallas, Texas
You're not alone Kam. I'm a big stoner rock fan too.

The last two Fu Manchu albums did suck, so I was nervous about letting people find out I like this one.
Rick Gebhardt
02/09/2007
08:03AM
Age: 30
Location
Minnesota
Sorry Kam & MJ, but I have to do it... This band is one of the worst stoner rock bands I've ever listened to. Stuff like The Sword and YOB and whatnot I really get into, especially YOB, but Fu Manchu is terrible. I only had to listen to like 2 songs off of this to realize they still are. Terrible, that is.

Find me EVERYWHERE:

M.J.Austin
02/09/2007
09:25AM
Location
Dallas, Texas
rmgebhardt
Sorry Kam & MJ, but I have to do it... This band is one of the worst stoner rock bands I've ever listened to. Stuff like The Sword and YOB and whatnot I really get into, especially YOB, but Fu Manchu is terrible. I only had to listen to like 2 songs off of this to realize they still are. Terrible, that is.


Not going to fight you on this Rick. Fu Manchu is terrible. But for some reason they remain a guilty pleasure for me.