|
Links
SMASH!
|
"Neo-rockabilly new-waver teams up with one of the MEN of kick ass, hip
Rock and Roll" should have been the slogan for promoting this album. I
picked this up at Thee Bopp Shopp back in January and got a Filardo
discount to boot, so it was a good buy all around. I am a big fan of
rockabilly and good rockabilly at that, and this album delivers
wonderfully. While the album does not feature many originals, but each
song is delivered freshly and well, adding a newer twist or different
take on them. Hell, they even do Springsteens' "Fire". Red Cadillac
and a Black Mustache hails from the Sun Records days- Dylan
recently did it on the Sun Records tribute album, and I don't know
which version- his or Gordon's- I like better. Robert Gordon 's
vocals are smooth and carefree; his voice reminds me a bit of Elvis
and are complimented wonderfully by the backing of the Jordinaires on
the tracks, The Way I Walk, If This Is Wrong (a wonderful Link
orginal that is very much doo wop), Five Days, Five Days, I Want to
Be Free, and a version of the song that got the Beatles together
and just kicks so much ass, Eddie Cochran's Twenty Flight Rock.
If This is Wrong is wonderfully performed with great emotion
and charisma, and the gentle guitar solo by Link Wray compliments the
rest of the performers wonderfully. The Way I Walk and Five
Days, Five Days are more of full out rockabilly rockers on side 1
of the album, featuring blistering guitar work that just hits you in
that perfect spot, and attitude that everyone should be envious of,
and great vocals. Very cool. Side 2 opens a bit more mellow than side
1 with another doo-wop type track, I Want to Be Free- probably
my least favorite tune on the album. It's too Lawrence Welk-ish. If
Lawrence were semi-hip. Sea Cruise is also a bit on the campy
side, not because of the musicians, but more because of the song in
general. Eveyone playing on this track manages to rock, but I find this
song to be a bit cheesy. Everything is soon corrected with the opening
strains of Twenty Flight Rock. As I mentioned before, I think
that this song rocks, and while the song presented here is kept very
similar to the original, the addition of the Jordinaires adds a nice
twist. Link also manages to rip it up again wonderfully with his
guitar work. The last two songs on the album, Lonesome Train (On A
Lonesome Track and Blue Eyes, which is fairly mellow,
feature stellar guitar work again and great vocals (On "Blue Eyes" the
vocals really shine through as the guitar takes the back burner,
allowing for rich emotion). The tunes flow through effortlessly and
have a great allure to them. With the exception of the couple campy
tunes on the album, this record will win you over too- it's the perfect
soundtrack to a day.
|
Robert Gordon w/ Link Wray: Fresh Fish Special