Hayside Dixie - A Hot Piece of Grass

Mandolins and banjoes are sorry replacements for Les Pauls and Stratocasters – it’s that simple. Sure. Bluegrass tributes to hard rock masterpieces can be amusing. But so can Steve Irwin, crocodile hunter extraordinaire. Or productions of Disney films on ice, for that matter. Hayseed Dixie, a self-proclaimed crew of hillbillies that got its start playing mountain-style covers of AC/DC songs, is nothing more than a novelty act. The band’s latest release -- A Hot Piece of Grass – is further proof that it should have quit while it was ahead. A Hot Piece of Grass boasts cover versions of Black Sabbath’s "War Pigs," AC/DC’s "Whole Lotta Rosie," Van Halen’s "Runnin’ With The Devil" and a few other hard rock classics. Some are better than others. The band’s hillbilly take on Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades” is actually pretty damn hilarious – but that’s mostly because the song was unbelievably funny to begin with. Not surprisingly, the best cuts on the record are the songs that were actually meant to be played in the bluegrass style. “Blind Beggar Breakdown” and “Marijuana” are flat-out foot-stomping jams. But the band’s trademark bluegrass-metal mash-ups on this album are disappointingly dull. A whiskey-chugging version of Green Day’s 2005 hit “Holiday” is particularly offensive. So is a finger-picking take on “Whole Lotta Love.” It’s worth a listen and a few laughs – but not much more. Unless you’re a 19-year old fraterinty all-star trying to be hip at a southern school. You'll probably get a few semesters out of it. [www.hayseed-dixie.com]