After the success of Hot Rod Hootenanny, Capitol evidently believed a continuation in the Rat Fink series would be profitable, and so the dependable Gary Usher reassembled the same group of vocalists and instrumentalists for this second installment. From the get-go, it’s obvious that Rods and Ratfinks has a bit of a different sound than its predecessor. While the eccentric playing is still intact, the quality of the material is noticeably above that of Hot Rod Hootenanny. Taking on more of a producer’s role, Usher again found it best to let the players loose to do essentially whatever they desired. The results are quite exhilarating, as the Wrecking Crew basically infuses this record with every lick, fill and run they could possibly think of in the moment. The Weirdos’ second album is a hoot, filled with twangy guitars, eccentric drum rolls, and blaring saxes.

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Side one opens up with the rockilin’ ‘Three Kats in a Tub,’ a play on the nursery rhyme, with a lead vocal by Mr. Usher himself. ‘T.J.T’ offers more of the same, followed by ‘Hey Rat Fink,’ a rat-infested instrumental that testifies to the dexterity of the instrumentalists involved. ‘1947 Studebaker’ and ‘Cherry-Top Charlie’ are both amusing tracks with outrageous lyrics and rhymes. Lines such as “she sounds like Tarzan fighting Sonny Liston” make one wonder just what grade level the lyricists were at. The Weirdos manage to keep their nuttiness at bay just long enough to deliver ‘The Lonely Stocker,’ easily the soberest track on the album. Interestingly enough, the ballad would reappear on the Knights Hot Rod High album later in the year (review here). The zaniness returns in the ‘Ballad of Eefin Fink’ while the slick ‘Cool Cool Rod’ is one of the album’s highlights. ‘Hearse With a Curse’ is another quirky number with ghoulish one-liners inserted every few bars a’ la Dick Burns. Steve Douglas shows off some admirable breath support in ‘Waltz of the Rat Fink.’ The closer, ‘Fink Rod 409,’ pokes fun at the Beach Boy’s tune, an earlier Usher composition.

    

If you enjoyed their previous release, the Weirdos’ second album will certainly not disappoint, but if Fink Music isn't for you - skip it...