ALBUM REVIEWS
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ALBUM REVIEWS |
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Bill Kirchen
WORD TO THE WISE PROPER RECORDS 19.07.10 @www.vanguard-online.co.uk
Bill Kirchen was chief guitarist in seventies Rockabilly band Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, who apparently had a big hit in 1972 with ‘Hot Rod Lincoln’ which I have to say I don’t remember (but then again I was only two) Despite being previously hailed as a guitar god he also sings on this new collection of cover’s and original compositions, although he also has a myriad of stellar guests to assist in this department. The cover of Merle Haggard’s ‘Shelly's Winter Love’ has a double whammy of Nick Lowe and Paul Carrack sharing vocal duties. This is a gospel infused track that leaves you with a tingly feeling all over. The best thing here though is ‘Man in the Bottom of the Well’ - a collaboration with a magnificently gruff Elvis Costello, but I suppose I would gravitate naturally to that as I do like Elvis Costello. ‘I Don't Work That Cheap’ is good throwaway honky-tonk fun with daft lyrics like ‘So I made it back home for the big inaugurama / had to play my record for my man Obama’. He does an archetypal guy/gal duet with Chris O’Connell on Roger Miller standard ‘Husbands and Wives’ – a classic Country and Western weepy and ‘Arkansas Diamond’ wouldn’t disgrace itself on one of Johnny Cash’s albums - the original and best rebel rouser himself. This is an enjoyable, good-time boogie-woogie type of an album – It’s probably not the kind of thing I’d go for normally - It’s a bit too jolly and off the cuff for my usually darker tastes. However, the quality and diversity of the collaborators on board should help to attract passing trade other than just his faithful fans. www.billkirchen.com |
