The Strange Boys 'Live Music' album review (for kevchino.com)

If indeed you can, imagine if The Strokes grew up in Texas… The results may have sounded a lot like Austin band The Strange Boys. With an ever-present country twang, quirky crooning vocals, surly guitar riffs and a side of harmonica all rooted solidly in old blues and R'n'B the band offers up an eclectic range of tunes on their latest effort 'Live Music'.

Opening with a cute piano-based pop ditty entitled 'Me and You' the album is off to a promising start. Tracks such as 'Punk Pyjamas', 'Omnia Boa', 'Mama Shelter' and 'My Life Beats Me' follow through with an upbeat country feel and great blues guitar riffs which show that not all country/blues artists' baby's have left them, nor are they down and out - at least not all of the time. And 'Omnia Boa' has a fantastic locomotive drum beat that makes you feel you've just hopped a freight train heading straight to the Mississippi delta.

Other tracks like 'Walking Two By Two', 'Saddest' and 'Over The River & Through The Woulds' follow a true slow surly country style, and the vocals on 'Right Before' are reminiscent of a lowly hound dog howling his blues at the moon.

I've never been averse to a bit of country and The Strange Boys certainly breathe some much needed new life into the genre. It may take a few listens, but 'Live Music' is a good little album bringing the old school to the new school with it's mix of blues piano, gritty country tones and subtle indie twists.

SHOW REVIEW: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Brixton Academy, London (31/5/09)

The Original R’N’B
Sunday 31st May 2009
Brixton Academy, London

　
This gig begged the question ‘How many Lynyrd Skynyrd songs do you know besides Sweet Home Alabama?’. Many answered none, others answered ‘Freeview’ as heard on the Almost Famous soundtrack if not before. But not many touted they knew 3! At the risk of showing my age, being a hippie chick in my teens and watching Dazed and Confused religiously meant I also knew ‘Tuesday’s Gone’, sad not only for its balladly beauty but as it also signified the end of the movie.

So with confederate flags flying Lyndyrd Skynyrd were introduced to the stage with a fair amount of American fanfare, complete with gratingly annoying voiceover man (‘Ladieees and gentlemeeen, Lynyyyrd Skynyyyrd!’). They may be longhaired and old but they can still rock out. Though missing many of their original members the band have made a healthy life for themselves – admittedly mainly off one song – but their good old fashioned rhythm and blues is a great sound and attracts not only the one hit wonderers but the die hard fans as well. I believe I spotted more George Thoroughgood T-shirts than Lynyrd Skynyrd.

They Southern drawled their way through all the aforementioned hits as well as a whole heap unbeknownst to me, with a down to earth country rock sound that got everyone dancing and drinking. I must admit, thanks to my folks, I’m not adverse to some good rocking country guitar and Lynyrd Skynyrd are one of the masters. They ended the show flying both the confederate flag and Union Jack high and definitely showed Brixton what real R’N’B is all about.