Customer Reviews

Think About It

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The Morells, more specifically Lou Whitney and D. Clinton (Donnie) Thompson, have made a career of being in bands that the critics (and everyone who hears them) love, but don't get heard near enough. The Skeletons have backed up Steve Forbert and Dave Alvin, as well as having recorded on their own, and the Park Central Squares were a hit wherever they played throughout the midwest. The Morells is their name for their band that focuses on obscure covers of old rock, blues, R&B, and country songs with the occasional original thrown in.

"Think About It", their first offering in four years and their first for the Hightone label, is chock-full of treasures. From the cover of Chuck Berry's "Nadine" to the Thompson guitar showcase of Duane Eddy's "Guitar Man", the Morells have created another masterpiece of bar-band rock. Along with the covers "Girls Don't Worry My Mind (the Delmore Brothers), "How Come My Dog Don't Bark (Big Joe Turner), "Ups and Downs" (Paul Revere and the Raiders), and "Let's Dance On" (The Monkees), they have contributed five originals, more than their other two albums combined.

As usual, they cover the gamut of styles here. Ron Gremp's "Ain't My Day" is a '50's style bopper reminiscent of Bobby Pickett's "Monster Mash". The three contributions from Donnie Thompson make their way from Texas with the swing of "Popbelly" and the 2-step of "She's Gone" to the California pop of "Cool Summer". The lone contribution from Whitney (in collaboration with Thompson) is "Get What You Need", a frat-rock raver that invites you to sing along.

This still isn't up to the perfection of their debut recording "Shake and Push" of 25 years ago, but it's still better than most of what's out there in this surprisingly competitive genre. Do yourself a favor and check out The Morells.

This irregularly recorded alter-ego of The Skeletons has finally waxed their third LP (in a 23-year recording history), confirming that their wacky sense of humor, record collector's ears and deft musicianship only improve with age.

The band's cover selections can be as simple to recognize as the rave-up "Let's Dance On" from the Monkees, or as obscure as Joe Turner's "How Come My Dog Don't Bark" and The Delmore's "Girls Don't Worry My Mind." Chuck Berry's "Nadine" is turned to chicken-pickin' with a second-line rhythm, Duane Eddy's "Guitar Man" is slowed to a bluesy brag, and Paul Revere & The Raiders' "Ups and Downs" gains an oddly memorable keyboard line.

The band's handful of originals include Chet Atkins styled picking and a "Gentle on My Mind" riff for "She's Gone" and the proverbial tackle box of instrumental hooks loaded into "Popbelly." Fans of The Young Fresh Fellows and Ben Vaughn will find the same fine combination of talent and jokiness here, but with a rootsier, mid-west foundation. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]