Where Meager Die of Self Interest 
Artist: 90 Pound Wuss 
Label: Tooth & Nail Records 
  
Ninety Pound Wuss sure has some bones to pick with the church, society, lost loves, and apathy.  And despite the name of the band this is not wimpy music!  It's hard, screaming punk.  These bones have some meat on them!  
  
The credits include Dale Yob on bass, Marty Martinez as the excellent punk drummer, two guitarists named John (Himmelberger and Spaulding), and Jeff Suffering at the helm as the vocalist and lyricist.  It seems that John Himmelberger plays on about 2/3 of the songs and John Spaulding plays on the rest, but the band's sound does not change a lick with the guitar changes.  Jeff screams his biting poetry at a fierce pace, while the music strains under the power.  There's no question that punk music is a powerful medium, and 90 Pound Wuss uses it to hammer some powerful messages.  
 
Check out these lyrics from a song about the "faith movement" in the church, called "Sick and You're Wrong": 
    how can you say to the mentally retarded that their pain is wrong 
    how can you say to the physically handicapped that they can't glorify the Lord 
    well you're wrong 
    your idol worship is making me sick 
    I want to puke right in your face 
    how can you hurt someone when it's not their fault 
    then turn and blame them saying they have no faith 
    I think your definition of faith is wrong 
    and you've changed the Word of God 
    You're the one who's handicapped 
    You're the one to blame 
    I rebuke you, repent, repent! your disability to believe truth ails me
 Graphic and powerful, 90 Pound Wuss's lyrics are indeed poetry.  I'd like to reprint more of them here, but of course I don't have the time or space.  There is another song on the CD called "Backwards Thinking" that also addresses the church, talking about cultural prejudices and bigotry toward punkers or other believers that do things a bit differently or have different tastes than most of the organized church.  
 
I don't think this music will do much to bring the church together, however. Not only will most of the church not hear this record, but if they did they wouldn't be able to understand a word Jeff is screaming. This music would drive most of the organized church (read: parents) up the wall!  For old school punk fans, this is a very well-done, worthwhile spin.  This 90 Pound Wuss is no one to kick sand at.-----Tony LaFianza 

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