Namecheck Rat Sass

In 2008, critics openly embraced bands like Fucked Up and Fuck Buttons, whose extreme names are a dead giveaway, binding them to their extreme sounds. What of the days when a fellow could utter, say, 75 percent of a swear, getting the point across but delivering it with a classy wink? When a teacher could remind her pupils not to do their homework “half-fast”? When a man could appoint himself the “sofa king”? This lost era of halfway-decent manners finds its house band in Rat Sass. Deftly executing this classic two-word split-method near-swear, Appleton-based frontman Iggy Rae Vicious looks like he could get away with some straight-up nastiness. His tattoos, earrings, bandana, flowing locks and facial hair place him somewhere between biker-gang member and freewheelin’ flower-child. Appopriately, the songlist of covers the band advertises in a video on its website are suited for those who’d like to get a bit gritty without going downright vulgar: The James Gang’s “Walk Away,” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker.” How Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” fits into things is anyone’s guess, but perhaps such wordplay as “Breathe, breathe in the air / don’t be afraid to care” is just on the right level for show’s like Rat Sass’s Saturday appearance at the Badger Bowl.