The Reverend Horton Heat “Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em” 1990. Sub Pop Records, 10″ LP on blue-gray marbled vinyl. We caught the Rev this past Friday in Madison at High Noon Saloon – sold out, wild show! Jim Heath and Jimbo are still rocking strong 35+ years on. They clearly still love playing live and seem to still adore each other.

Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em is hands-down my favorite release from the Texas psychobillies. Their debut, it was the only record I had heard the first time I saw them in ’93 (Madison, at the late great Club de Wash, Taz was still on drums); I listened the bejeezus out of it. I’m fairly certain Friday’s show led with the instrumental, “Bullet,” the LP’s first track.

Other tops from the record are “I’m Mad” and “Baby, You Know Who,” both wild psychobilly rompers, plus the spaghetti-western tinged almost-instrumental “Marijuana” on which Heath shows his finger-picking and shredding prowess, Jimbo relentlessly bass-slaps, and Taz keeps time with a crazed jungle beat. The album closer “Love Whip” is a sultry rockabilly song tinged with a bit of danger, harmonica and horns. And while “Eat Steak” is absolutely ridiculous, kitschy as hell, it still makes me laugh.