Corey

Sharek

 

She likes it.  That’s all we need to know.  Blessed is a man with a loving woman who shares the same interests, and the same taste in music.  I have been riding the fence on this record for weeks trying to come up with the right words to put to the page.  So, I looked to my listening partner and asked, “what should I say?”

Her response pretty much summed it up: “The first song is catchy, it has good covers, especially _________ (you’ll find out which one(s) later, read on), and the rest of it gets stuck in your head”.

If I were to make a guilty admission, now would be the time – I just don’t like rockabilly anymore.  After more than a decade with the Stray Cats, Reverend Horton Heat, and Social Distortion records, I came to a point that if it ain’t Jerry Lee or Elvis, I ain’t buyin’ it.  But to the missus, there is still a charm in reaching back to rockin’ country’s roots.  Besides, as I mentioned earlier, she has exquisite taste.  And she likes this Lloyd Maines produced release for Austin’s Two Tons of Steel.

Pam was right; “Vegas” is a cool song.  The musician in me personally likes that the verse begins on the V chord.  To the rest of the listening world that means that it strays a bit from standard format within the age-old blues/country progression of I-IV-V.  That, and a hook in the words “bye, bye, bye” at the end of each verse makes this ditty one that you carry with you later on in the day.

Speaking of uncommon choices in music creation, the drum tone on track 4, “Unglued” has that pure rock percussion sound.  For those playing along at home, it is my guess that the drums used were shod with coated single ply heads, tuned medium-low over sharp bearing edges.  What I mean is that the drums are markedly modern for a vintage-flavored album. Leave it to Lloyd Maines to put those drums in a record wearing a 1955 Chevy Baby Blue scripted in Starlight Lounge lettering. A bold statement, but successful in execution.

Kevin Geil has a more than capable voice, but spotlighted in “Drive You Home Tonite.” An ironically sensitive song about being either the catalyst for a revenge plot or two-lonely-hearts-meet-at-a-time-of-need song. Dennis Fallon’s tremeloed guitar really sets the mood in this one.

“Can’t Stay With You” is the closest to what would normally be in my CD changer.  It’s an Americana song dressed in Lyle Lovett’s clothes.  Although it bears no resemblance to The Large Band’s front man, it shares a sensibility and feeling that only the Hill country can create.  Strangely enough, this song evokes both Jackson Browne and Jason Boland in my mind.  Wow, how’s that for an amalgamation?  That’s something like an educated dope head cowboy who drives a Volvo.

“Havana Moon” is a short film of Dean Martin coming into focus walking among the poolside cabanas with Frank and Sammy in the middle evening.  This is the song you put in when traffic is turning you violent.  It’s salty Caribbean air, thick indigenous cigar smoke and bright lunar glow lighting your path of introspection.

Let’s talk covers.  It is funny how in one album, the descriptives cliché, daring and cool can all be used appropriately.

First, The cliché. How many times has “Secret Agent Man” been covered by whatever-a-billy bands?  Not that it’s a bad rendition, just done.

Next, the daring. For these guys to put “Ice Cream Man” on the record, submitted for consideration against the known Van Halen version, and the nearly unknown John Brim original (backed with Elmore James on Chess, ca. 1969) was quite a feat.  And great too!  Ric Ramirez’s upright slap work mixed with Chris Dobbs’ skillful timekeeping is reminiscent of Slim Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker’s synergy on early Stray Cats recordings.  It comes off as if Elvis had done it in his post-service/pre-Hollywood era.

Lastly, the cool.  If it's not enough to be a country-billy band in 2005, but to be that band covering the seminal Ramones hit, “I Wanna Be Sedated,” is just cool. Cool in a Steve McQueen way. Cool in the Johnny Cash flying the bird kinda way.  Cool in a …well you get the picture.

I can’t say that I would go out and drop the ducats to spring this album from record-store purgatory, but I can tell you that Pam would without a second thought.  I guess I got overruled in this discussion.  Marriage, and record reviewing, is most successful when built upon trust, respect, and compromise.

My Grade: B-
Pam’s Grade: B+

Editor's Note:  The album is available through their website, http://www.twotons.com, Hepcat Records, CDnow.com and LoneStarMusic.com.

Corey Sharek, July, 2005

E-mail me about this review

Read about Corey

Go to Corey Central for other reviews by Corey.

All content © 2005 Miss Lana's Texicana Music Central. All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced or copied without the permission of the site owner. This includes html code.  The opinions noted in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions of MissLana.com and/or its affiliates.

 

Texicana Music Central