American Heart by The Nukes
March’s song by The Nukes is called ‘American Heart’ and it’s so good it’s been covered by 2 other groups (which I've included). The Nukes were a St. Louis / San Francisco band, and if you knew’em you know why they had to leave Missouri. The Nukes went off like a bomb; Packy Reynolds was a grenade with the pin pulled out; the band was an IED; their fans threw C4 at the stage and the music was as volatile as nitro-glycerin! Venues literally looked blown up after their shows. Their sound man wrapped the monitors in garbage bags because of the amount of liquidy shit flying around – blood, sweat, spit, guts, gallons of beer – Packy spewed like a whale, and the crowd splashed back.
Now, having said all that, here’s this month’s song - a soft, acoustic lament with mournful harmonica and shaky, heart-break vocals. What? The man who brought you “464” and “Drained” singing acoustic music? Yes. And it makes sense. Take away the enriched uranium and The Nukes were sensitive guys. It’s just that Packy shouted so loud, and the band thumped so hard, it was easy to mistake heart ache and insecurity for anthemic rampage. But, actually, that was not a mistake. The Nukes, like early Jam, turned pain, uncertainty, doubt and the fact that your girlfriend just broke your heart, into fist-pumping, foot-stomping anthems. It’s was a beautiful thing! But what happens when all the noise goes away?
Dylan going electric was more probable than the Nukes going acoustic, but here they break it way down. Hell, two members take a powder. It’s just Packy Reynolds singing, Michael Eisenbeis playing. Eisenbeis plucks a taunting lilt that almost tumps you off your chair. It’s controlled; “ a don’t step on a crack” delivery that itself creates tension and anticipation. He owns it. Starkly recorded, real, and right in your face, it pulls you and pushes you. Packy, snarl in complete check, delivers a chilling, sweet, delicate vocal. I know this guy, his bones are rebar, and his voice is angry Paul Weller. But here, Jesus, you wonder if he’ll make it through. Will he cry or collapse? It’s a wonderful performance crammed full of the pain and fragility that the Nukes have always been about, but here they do bare bones; no shouting, no drums. And they pull it off. The Nukes are good enough to give it to you both ways. They can pound your face or caress your cheek. Either way the emotion is intense.
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Now, having said all that, here’s this month’s song - a soft, acoustic lament with mournful harmonica and shaky, heart-break vocals. What? The man who brought you “464” and “Drained” singing acoustic music? Yes. And it makes sense. Take away the enriched uranium and The Nukes were sensitive guys. It’s just that Packy shouted so loud, and the band thumped so hard, it was easy to mistake heart ache and insecurity for anthemic rampage. But, actually, that was not a mistake. The Nukes, like early Jam, turned pain, uncertainty, doubt and the fact that your girlfriend just broke your heart, into fist-pumping, foot-stomping anthems. It’s was a beautiful thing! But what happens when all the noise goes away?
Dylan going electric was more probable than the Nukes going acoustic, but here they break it way down. Hell, two members take a powder. It’s just Packy Reynolds singing, Michael Eisenbeis playing. Eisenbeis plucks a taunting lilt that almost tumps you off your chair. It’s controlled; “ a don’t step on a crack” delivery that itself creates tension and anticipation. He owns it. Starkly recorded, real, and right in your face, it pulls you and pushes you. Packy, snarl in complete check, delivers a chilling, sweet, delicate vocal. I know this guy, his bones are rebar, and his voice is angry Paul Weller. But here, Jesus, you wonder if he’ll make it through. Will he cry or collapse? It’s a wonderful performance crammed full of the pain and fragility that the Nukes have always been about, but here they do bare bones; no shouting, no drums. And they pull it off. The Nukes are good enough to give it to you both ways. They can pound your face or caress your cheek. Either way the emotion is intense.
- For face pounding check out The Nukes “Why Things Burn” on this site.
- For caressing - of sorts - check out The Nukes “State of Missouri” on this site.
- Alternate version ONE is by Shooting With Annie: http://www.shootingwithannie.com/
- Alternate version TWO is by Clouds of May (hopefully we will get some info on them).
- NUKES BIO at IUMA
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