Not a live album!
(The “Live” in the title rhymes with give, and not five.) 3rd
album from Texas' rocking boho poets.
The latest offering
from 6-piece ragged rockers The Strange Boys is not the most
immediate of records. On first listen it comes across as an
Anglo-leaning, Libertines inspired collection of OK but not entirely
unique loose rock 'n' roll and down at heel balladry. But like the
best albums, several listens in and it's subtleties are slowly
revealed. And it turns out there's plenty to like here, not least the
playful lyrics where puns, wordplay and great one-liners abound.
Musically it's gloriously unhinged and louche, sounding like the best
of The Holy Modal Rounders played by an all-star band featuring Ian
McLagan on keys, Bob Dylan (restricted to harmonica) and a Pete
Doherty soundalike on vocals, all recorded in a smoky room strewn
with cigarette butts and empty whisky bottles.
Containing a generous
fourteen songs, the album kicks off with the distinctive piano and
guitar into of “Me And You”, closely followed by “Walking Two
By Two”, a ringer for an outtake from Nashville Skyline. “Punk's
Pajamas” is The Housemartins if they'd been into substance abuse
rather than faux-Christianity, whereas “Omnia Boa” is a simmering
pot of bluesy rock 'n' roll. Slightly sleazy and scuffed up, but as
Rod would say, they wear it well.
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