Who remembers White Trash? Well, they had a big hit with a funky, horn-driven metal hybrid in 1991 called “Apple Pie.” Since then, the members of the band have scattered. Now, minus frontman Dave Alvin and deceased guitarist Ethan Collins, the remaining members, led by bassist and frontman Aaron Collins, have started a new project. This five song sampler is a teaser, a warmup for a future full-length.

From the get-go, you definitely get a Parliament-Funkadelic/Ohio Players sort of feel on “This House Is On Fire,” just with heavier guitar. There is definitely a fun party vibe, and that continues on the questionably titled “Guinea Pig Slut Bitch,” which has a cool ska feel to it, right down to the vocals. I definitely her similarities to Fishbone’s classic “Lyin’ Ass Bitch.”

Aaron, besides being a really cool bassist and a hardcore lifer with the likes of Murphy’s Law, shows he is more than a capable singer, pulling off the pop stylings of “Goodbye Letter” admirably. The production here is really clear, no more so than on “Bobby’s Dead.” This is a song that’s not that much, but the multitracked chorus vocals are really great and make the track stand out more than it would have without them.

One almost wishes that the acoustic fingerpicking intro of “Chasing Ghosts” carried the song more than its heavy middle. The atmosphere would have helped the song and could have made it the highlight of the disc; instead, that title goes to “Goodbye Letter.”

Hopefully, with some more time to craft some great material and hone the rough edges, the full length will be even better, perhaps even eclipsing the work done by White Trash. All in all, Butterbrain EP is an admirable and noble first effort and a chance to see the beginnings of a great and interesting career.

Rating: B

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