Texas Headhunters – Rise and Shine
This gets off to a rollicking start in the tradition of ZZ Top, the Jayhawks & Texas Tornadoes. Nice musical applications evident on the opener “Cut n’ Run” a solid piece with everything a gool ole boy would want in his music. Whiskey’s strong, the cigars stink & the ladies have dangerous curves. That’s what steams off this music & settles in the ears of weekend buckaroos & faux businessmen with Tony Lama boots & white ankle socks. Please someone wake me up.
I like this music. So, I’ll take a table in the back. The band has weight. The arrangements are laid out so the instruments can attack from all sides. “Drive You Crazy” is just that, crazy. The dueling guitars bite, the drums are blustery, & the 3 vocalists are exuberant. Obviously, they’re into what they’re selling. The third track “Bigshot” is squeezed out of the “Bo Diddley” melody. It’s danceable, with a tight beat that most average sherry drinkers won’t be able to dance to, but the big shots with the Jägermeister’s will. This is rock n’ roll personified. Jukebox tunes. Tight jeans & quarters spinning on the bar top between the moist twenties, sticky loose change, limp potato chips & spilled beer. Give me more.
There are 10 tossin’ & turnin’ tunes for those who want to Rise and Shine (Dropped Oct 9/Blue Elan/Hard Charger Records/33:45) with the Texas Headhunters. There’s plenty of The Blaster’s sauce in these songs, a little of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Del Lords & don’t forget Tito & Tarantula. “I Did It Anyway,” is a scorcher & trailing it is “Favored Nation” with its boogie-woogie beat & suave Texas guitar slingers support. This music will put hair on your chest (if you’re a guy).
It’s a self-produced band album tough as leather & over cooked barbecue. The fretmen’s chemistry is unmistakable. Recorded at Signal Hill in Austin, TX, the album contains their guitar & vocal attack – Ian Moore (vocals/guitar/percussion), Johnny Moeller (vocals/guitar) & Jesse Drayton (vocals/guitar/keys/percussion). The music is incendiary. The varied vocal tradeoffs add to the diversification of this pleasantly rowdy showcase.
There are shades of oldies in their melodies (“That’s the Kind of Fool I’ll Be”) that sounds almost like a Teddy Randazzo-type bluesy tune from the early ‘60s (“Let the Sunshine In”). Sung with the nostalgic tone of an early ‘60s rocker in his crooning mode. It’s a soul-satisfying groove. This is not a champagne cocktail establishment. Pass me a hard-boiled egg & the saltshaker. There’s more Texas Headhunters music to come…hopefully.
Highlights – “Drive You Crazy,” “Bigshot,” “I Did It Anyway,” “Favored Nation,” “Dogs of Laredo,” “Rise and Shine,” “That’s the Kind of Fool I’ll Be” & “Long Ryder.”
Musicians – Jay Moeller (drums/percussion) & Michael Archer (bass).
CD photography courtesy of Emily Kaye. Band image courtesy of their Bandcamp site. There’s a folded down lyric insert included. CD @ Bandcamp & Apple + https://txhh.live/ & https://blueelan.com/blogs/news/texas-headhunters-announce-new-album-rise-and-shine-release-explosive-title-track?srsltid=AU7gw4W1U0F27uhACFdCV9CCE1qhSIRzVHp8YZOOJJWzMMut-mYTbCaH