Customer Reviews

Ruins of Berlin

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

 

 

In the past year and a half, I have unexpectedly become a Dexter affecionado. It just sort-of-happened (like an unplanned affair). I feel that I need to SHOUT OUT to the world that Dexter could give Elvis Presley a run for his money. Dexter is on a hot-streak that shows no signs of abating. Like the wonderful CD that Dexter just recenly created with the New Romans ("Night Tides"-which you should also get), this ultra-fine album shows the work of an Artist who is finding harmonic synchrony with his limitless creativity, his maturity, and his real sister Sara (there is no way that you can't dig Sara's contributions).

The album mixes 50's pop/soul/blues/instrumentals/country/lounge-crooning and whatever else gets in the Dynamic-Duo's way. Dex gets support from major-league names such as Exene Cervenka, Cat Power, and Neko Case. There is even some Polish dance music for alt-Polka fans. Some of the harsher sonic aspects found on earlier releases have been toned down and the music is easy on the ears, while continuing to push the boundaries of creativity. I'm a DJ and I will be playing this CD alot on my show (Mojo Ballroom on WCOM). It is worth your while to plunk your hard-earned cash on this. Catch these folks when they tour across the country to see what rock and roll is supposed to be like. Dex and Sara I hope you conquer the world, Love Famous Jonny Mambo.

So it has to be tough being a living UNDERGROUND legend especially one that flew under the radar nearing a crash and burn on the way down from the flight. You don't get the fame or the cash just the headaches and the long life of the road.

The adoration of his adoring high-profile fans are apparent but the collaborations are the weakest bits of the album. Dex seems to work best when trying to put together music that sounds like Dick Dale and Buddy Holly working together on a 60s spy movie. It has that vibe like an old soundtrack through the eyes of man rode hard and put down wet.

It is easy to get wrapped up too hard in the whole Dex Romweber as an icon bit but to do so you miss the whole angle of his partner Sarah Romweber who played in Let's Active and Snatches of Pink. That would be a shame because she is a monster on the drums especially live let me tell you.

Everyone doing reviews seems to gush over the instrumentals and mention the weakness of the collaborations especially the off-key label-mate pairing with Exene which is the worst of the bunch. But I do not understand this myself because songs like Picture of You or People, Place and Things or yes Ruins of Berlin all benefit from that almost horse course, bellowing, sloshing voice that is magic. Its like Cash at the end where you know this voice should not sound right for a song but god it does.

Sure the surfabilly punk killer instrumentals like Cigarette Party kill but you have to watch the Bloodshot video of People, Places and Things and listen to world tired tone of Dex before you get the impact of his range.

I am just looking forward even more to the next CD where hopefully all his big-name fans will leave him be and let him take the spy movie surf rockabilly vibe to the next level.

Dex should be considered a national treasure and this is one of his best disks. Buy now.

This CD is not without some decent songs. The instrumentals are pretty good, but overall its below average. I cant get past the cartoonish vocals Dex
displays on about half the tracks. Not sure what he is going for there...
To me he sounds great on the last track - singing a regular old country song
without all the fake bluster displayed on the other tracks.

The lyrics on the originals are nothing special and neither are the covers.
Give me "Picture of You", the two or three instrumentals, and the last track,
and you can keep the rest. I can see where Bloodshot records saw some talent
here, but this band falls short of the other groups on their label.