Reform School Girl

Nick Curran | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 16, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Eclecto Groove Records
• ASIN: B002W24E0G
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,609 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Comin' on like a sci-fi hybrid of T-Bone Walker, Little Richard, and Guitar Slim, guitarist/singer Nick Curran is a powerhouse performer who owes a strong debt to blues and rockabilly artists of the '50s. --All Music Guide

Nick and his group mix jump blues, boogie, and greasy rock and roll into a perfect stew. --Vintage Guitar

Just a total ass-kicker. --Jimmie Vaughan

Product Description

Nick Curran describes his music as a cocktail consisting of the sounds of no less than seventeen widely differing musicians blended together with a cup of broken glass. That only begins to characterize the wallop packed by the 98-proof elixir of this singer, songwriter and monster guitarist who effortlessly carries the past with him as he blazes across the musical landscape in perpetual forward motion. Curran began his professional career at age nineteen, leaving Maine to tour with Ronnie Dawson. Although Dawson was primarily a rockabilly musician, many blues and punk fans appreciated his performances. He taught Curran not to get pigeonholed. Curran toured next with Texas rockabilly doyenne Kim Lenz, moving to Dallas to join her backup band the Jaguars for two years, and performing on Lenz's recording, The One And Only. Nick would stay with the Jaguars for two years. He is also featured on Lenz's latest CD, It's All True, and recently toured with her in the summer of 2009.

In 1999 the Texas Jamboree label issued Curran's debut solo recording, Fixin' Your Head. As he would do on all future CDs, Curran used vintage recording equipment to achieve the feel and sound of old 45s and 78s, and the LPs of the 1950s. To support the recording he formed the band, Nick Curran and the Nitelifes, whose performances whipped audiences to frenzied devotion with their wild ride of retro, yet fresh and edgy rock 'n' roll, boogie, r & b, jump blues and a variety of other tasty stylistic devils in the details. A second Texas Jamboree CD, Nitelife Boogie, followed in 2001. When Curran moved to Austin, Jimmie Vaughan, who had heard his CDs, invited him to sit in on a set at Antone's. Vaughan would make a guest appearance on two tracks on Nick's next recording, Dr. Velvet, which garnered the 2004 W.C. Handy Award (now the Blues Music Award) for Best New Artist Debut.

From 2004 to 2007 Curran displayed his talents with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Kim Wilson's legendary band, appearing on their 2005 recording, Painted On. Also during that time, Curran and bassist Ronnie James started the punk band Deguello, saying that it ''sounded as if Little Richard sang with The Ramones.'' After performing a solo show in November, 2008, Nick was inspired to form the rock 'n' roll roots band, The Lowlifes. Reform School Girl is a culmination of Curran's multitude of talents: a throwback to his roots, only amped up to the limit. ''I've written more songs on Reform School Girl than on any other records. I wanted it to have no filler - only good stuff. All my influences are there, from old blues like Lazy Lester and T-Bone Walker to girl groups like the Ronettes and the Shangri-Las, to Guns N Roses.'' The album also features a couple of appearances by some of Nick's close personal friends including a duet on the song Flyin' Blind, co-written with Blasters' frontman Phil Alvin, as well as harmonica ace Jason Ricci on Reel Rock Party. Catch Nick Curran as he shakes, rattles and rolls a head-spinning combination of genres and tunes into a cool, irresistible cocktail that is rough and ready for action.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect soundtrack for this coming summer..., March 19, 2010

By 

James B. Billmeier (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reform School Girl (Audio CD)

If you are strictly a blues-lover, and want another blues record from him like the last four, you will be disappointed. The two-star review is ridiculous.
Nick is really growing here, trying new stuff (for him), and it is fantastic. The energy is overwhelming - he is teetering between The Sonics and Little Richard rave-ups with the added bonus of butt-kickin instrumental and vocal chops. "Kill My Baby" is such a good single, I emailed Handsome Dick Manitoba from Sirius XM radio and told him about it.
Two things I never do I did here: email deejays, and write online reviews.
I can't wait until Nick and his band show up in Chicago again...

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Raw!, March 19, 2010

By 

Bill "63 SG" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Reform School Girl (Audio CD)

I would have to agree with the Little Richard,Ramones,and Phil Spector references,but I would also sprinkle a little Screamin Jay Hawkins over it.A beautiful mess.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild and Raw Rock 'n' Roll, March 30, 2010

By 

R. Rohn "Nikita Fan" (Evansville, Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reform School Girl (Audio CD)

If you like the wilder side of Little Richard, you'll love this album. SHEENA'S BACK sounds like it could be the sequel to Little Richard's BOO HOO HOO HOO, one of his best, in my opinion. I love this album. It's wild and raw. Crazy and mean. And it rocks like there's no tomorrow. If you love untamed early rock'n'roll, this album is a must-have.