Month: July 2006

Apparently, Dave Biller ran out of existing styles to master and had to start making up new ones. His work as leader and sideman – all of the highest order – has ranged from diesel-fumed country to western swing a la Jimmy Bryant to Django gypsy jazz to southern-fried soul and more. “Texotica” is about as good a label (and title) as any to describe the styles he covers on these 13 original instrumentals with Austin’s Bobby Horton.

The program quickly mood-swings from bouncy hillbilly to the twang of “Deep Eddy” (as in Duane) to the Hawaiian lounge of “Tiki Tiki,” complete with sped-up Les Paul effects. Horton sticks mainly to pedal-less steel (switching to lead for “Deep Eddy” and “Slippin’ The Mickey”- no doubt a nod to Mr. Baker) with Biller’s bopping lead guitar and propulsive rhythm (as well as six-string bass on “Eddy”).

Elsewhere, cuts like “The New Thang” are reminiscent of guitar instrumental albums of the ’60s (right down to the semi-generic title), where studio or country pickers took a shot at go-go music. “Mood Music For A Tropical Depression” has a quasi-Asian feel, with Biller contributing a piano solo in the Martin Denny mode. For “Texas Twilight” Dave cranks up the treble sting a la Johnny “Guitar” Watson or Jimmie Vaughan, and “Dutch Treat” (a reference to Barney Kessel’s “Swedish Pastry”?) is straight-ahead swinging jazz, regardless of the instrumentation.

Keeping things in the families, brother Billy Horton supplies upright bass (except where Dave spells him on electric bass) and Dave’s wife, Karen Biller, plays vibes on a couple of cuts. Buck Johnson is the drummer throughout, with T. Jarrod Bonta’s honky-tonk piano on two tracks and Erik Hokkanen supplying fiddle on “The Devil’s Birthday Party.”

As if the CDs and song titles weren’t indication enough, Dave and Bobby sound like they were having lots of fun in the studio, and the pair make a great team. Their great chops combined with a sense of humor should remind collectors of another lead/steel duo – although you have to reach back almost 50 years.

You know how some records just ooze fun? That’d be this one.

Nick and his group mix jump blues, boogie, and greasy rock and roll into a perfect stew. And throughout the affair, Nick has a guitar sound that fits everything perfectly. Nice and dirty, but not too dirty. It breaks up, but just to the point that sounds perfect. Yup, just like in the old days.

The opening/title cut is a prime example; good old R&B with a nice helping of big-box guitar. And the sound is to die for – the perfect distortion. Even on the rhythm track, the sound is just right.

“Don’t Be Angry” is a West Coast Shuffle with a jazzy solo that lets Nick stretch a little. The instrumental “Stompin’ at the Fort” is aptly named. The menacing “Drivin’ Me Crazy” is a minor-key thing with monster left-hand work. The bends, slurs, and tremolo are a textbook course in feel. Nick even manages to fit in a rompin’ cover of Hank Williams “Cold, Cold Heart.”

Nick’s backing here cooks all the way through with the rhythm section right on the money, and Rev. Murph Motycka blasting away beautifully on saxophone. Guest shots of note include Jimmy Vaughan on second guitar on two cuts, and Gary Primich supplying nice harp on a couple of tracks.

There’s a picture of Nick on the inside that displays what the music feels like here. Shades, slicked-back hair, a beatnik goatee, and a hip dark pink shirt.

A high sense of style that certainly fits the feel of the music.

If bands got paychecks for being influential, Motorhead would buy your town. And then, of course, all the lawns would up and die.

Founded in the mid 1970s by steel-wool throated bassist Lemmy Kilmister after he left premier space rockers Hawkwind, Motorhead and its Chuck Berry/MC5-on-speed-with more-volume bridged the gap between old metal, punk, and new metal, uniting longhairs and spiked hairs like few others. Now, the obligatory box set.

Stone Deaf Forever doesn’t disappoint. With four CDs covering the band’s 28-year history – plus a fifth CD of live tracks – this chronologically arranged release does a stalwart job representing the ‘Head’s career as heavy rock originals.

As for the all-important box set “goodies,” they are; an informative 58-page booklet that makes up for design deficiencies with its massive amount of info; the fifth live CD (21 tracks recorded live between ’78 and ’99, some unreleased); a fold-out poster; and nice artwork and packaging. Everything louder than everything else, indeed.