Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers – Can’t Outrun a Memory
I’ve reviewed Joe’s work before. I’ve been familiar with his music since I bought “Blood On the Bricks” by the Iron City Houserockers (1976-1984) for $1.99. I’m not ashamed to say it — I had no clue who these guys were. It was one of the best discount records I ever grabbed & bought their LPs ever since.
This new 71-minute showcase produced by Rick Witkowski (guitars/vocals/bass/percussion), Johnny Grushecky (guitars/vocals) & Brian Coleman was recorded in West Virginia. Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers – Can’t Outrun a Memory (Drops July 12/Omnivore) is a handsome CD package with a 12-pp stitched lyric insert.
Despite Joe’s career output, knowing, writing & playing with famous people (Bruce Springsteen) I still feel he’s Pittsburgh’s unsung R&R hero nationwide. He’s just as good as Neil Young, Bruce & so many other active rockers. Joe’s (vocals/guitar/harmonica) is a musician who paid his dues & still digs in the quarry of rock music.
Alright, enough pontificating – this is the first set of new songs in 7 years. A cover, 12 originals & 4 bonus cuts start with a rousing “This Is Who We Are.” It displays splendid guitars that steam around Joe’s somewhat Graham Parker vocal tone sharpened to a Pittsburgh point beyond Parker’s pub savviness. Joe possesses a more kick-ass vocal attitude & the Houserockers are as tight as a Bruno Sammartino bear hug.
The vocals are intuitively applied to numbers like “Here In ’68.” Blistering guitars beside bowling pin beats & the songs seem more welded together than even Bruce’s newer stuff. Some pieces have an amusing nucleus of color — late ‘60s & early ‘70s wall of guitar steely bite (“Let’s Cross the Bridge”).
Joe’s melodies grind nicely (“Who’s Fooling Who?”) & the structures resonate with any ear brought up on traditional R&R/soul. It has a Chubby Checker swing, Del Shannon’s fervor & even Donnie Iris’s enthusiasm.
Wonderful stuff like the superb “Just Drive,” a road song filled with a perfect reminiscing melody & descriptive lyrics. It puts you in the driver’s seat late at night as pictures race through your mind you thought you’d forgotten. Years pass that were only yesterday but are just fingertips now reaching out of the night. It’s a haunting beautiful tune.
Highlights – “This Is Who We Are,” “Here In ’68,” “Can’t Outrun a Memory,” “Just Drive,” the excellent Springsteen-like “If These Hands Could Talk,” “Who’s Fooling Who?” & “Let’s Cross the Bridge.”
Musicians – Jeffrey Simmons (drums), Danny Gochnour (guitars), Jeff Garrison (bass) with Scott Blasey (vocals), Jeff Levine & Joe Monroe (organ), Stevee Wellons & Melinda Colaizzi (vocals) & Jamie Peck (horns).
Photos courtesy of Danny Clinch & Jesse DeFlorio. CD @ Amazon + https://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/cant-outrun-a-memory/ & https://www.joegrushecky.com/
Enjoy our previous review here: REVIEW: Joe Grushecky “Houserocker”