Customer Reviews

Just Like Home

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Quite honsetly, I have never heard anything like this band. While living in Chicago, I wandered into one of their shows and was completely blown away. I immediately went out and bought their first album, Dolly Horrorshow, which hasn't left my CD player for any extended period of time until now, and that's only so I can play Just Like Home. While Just Like Home has less of a country sound than Dolly Horrorshow does, it still evokes most of the same backwoods creepiness. Think Hank Williams Blues Explosion. Obviously influenced by Island-era Tom Waits (they cover his "Goin' Out West"), the album is permeated by a hollow-washtub-heavy percussiveness that drives most of the songs, which I think is an excellent addition. Standout tracks include "Head on a String", "Fake Out Jesus", "Foggy Minded Breakdown", the list goes on and on. If you are looking for an album that is interesting, muscially and lyrically complex, and that just plain rocks, then check out Just Like Home. And please, please, if you are given the opporotunity, GO SEE THEM LIVE! You will never be the same.

The Blacks second release, "Just Like Home" finds the band exploring much more eclectic territory than their first countrified release, "Dolly Horrorshow". Shades of old tyme gospel, Nino Rota-ish carnival music, and even heavy metal blend in with their trademark punk-hillbilly sound. No kidding folks, this is one twisted ride through a deep dark canyon. Standout tunes are aplenty here, but my fave is "Rest My Bones/Diablo", an excellent mournful lament with one of the most gleefully sinister endings ever committed to wax. Brian Wilson never sounded so evil! All in all, along with Indiana's Blue Moon Boys, The Blacks are absolutely one of the best alt-country acts going, period.

The Blacks are a stunning band. Think of Tom Waits posessed by the ghost of Hank Williams and you've got the music -- they even do a Tom Waits cover. Danny and Gina Black trade off on vocals and both are capable though I think I like Gina's sexy croon better. The whole CD is great but I'd say the outstanding tracks are Call, Foggy Minded Breakdown, and Rest My Bones/Diablo. Can't wait to see them live.

My wife and I caught an interview with Danny Black on the radio, during which several songs off this album were played. From that time forward, we were hooked. Every track is excellent, but tracks 1, 2, and 12 particularly standout. Not to mention the Excellent Tom Waits cover, "Going out west". Do yourself a favor and check this out.

My wife and I caught an interview with Danny Black on the radio, during which several songs off this album were played. From that time forward, we were hooked. Every track is excellent, but tracks 1, 2, and 12 particularly standout. Not to mention the Excellent Tom Waits cover, "Going out west". Do yourself a favor and check this out.

The only problem with this album is that I don't get much of a chance to listen to it since every person I've played it for wants to borrow it. I recommend buying at least two copies; one for you and one to loan out.

THIS IS ANOTHER GEM ON THE CHICAGO BASED BLOODSHOT LABEL. IF THERE IS A BETTER INDIE LABEL ON THIS PLANET, ONLY SPINART OR MERGE COME CLOSE. AS OF THIS WRITING THERE ARE 63 RELEASES ON BLOODSHOT AND MY GOAL IS TO OBTAIN THEM ALL. I CURRENTLY HAVE 50 IN MY POSSESSION. SOME OF THE EARLIER ONE ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND THAT'S A SHAME. IF YOU LIKE HANK WILLIAMS,SR., JOHNNY CASH,PATSY CLINE, AND GRAM PARSONS, YOU WILL LOVE THE ARTISTS WHO RECORD FOR BLOODSHOT. IF YOU HATE,AS I DO, GARTH BROOKS, SHANIA TWAIN, DIXIE CHICKS, AD NAUSEM, AND WISHED THEY ALL LIVED IN A REFRIDGERATOR BOX ON THE STREETS OF NY, THAN YOU WILL LOVE THE BLOODSHOT PERFORMERS. CONCERNING THIS PARTICULAR CD BY THE BLACKS, IT'S HAS CLASSIC WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. YOU'LL NOT HEAR A BETTER RECORD THIS YEAR AND YOU CAN TAKE THAT TO THE BANK. 12 OF THE 13 SONGS ARE ALL ORINGINALS WRITTEN BY GINA AND DANNY BLACK. THE ONE COVER IS A TOM WAIT'S SONG CALLED "GOIN' OUT WEST". THIS SONG ALONE IS WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION. ANOTHER CUT CALLED "FAKE OUT JESUS" IS AS GREAT A SONG AS I'VE HEARD IN YEARS IN ANY GENDER. TO SUM UP, EVERY SONG IS AWESOME, SO AWESOME IT MOTIVATED ME TO WRITE THIS REVIEW.