The spirit of Gram Parsons pervades this debut album by the Ottawa-based five piece. The back cover shot of the band proudly sporting their Nudie style shirts shows that the link to American Cosmic Music is my no means unintentional.
The choice of band name reveals another inspirtaion, evoking the spirit of the working class folklore hero who struggled against the mechanised age. Henry's story has been widely celebrated in song by artists ranging fom The Carter Family to Nick Cave. Vocalist/guitarist Rey Sebatin Jr explains : "We picked The John Henrys for our name because the story has so many undertones that we can relate to"
The band play a slick brand of country-rock although they've wisely left in enough rough edges to give the twang a rootsier feel. 'Though Yourself Lucky' , for example, sounds very like a revamp of the Stones' 19th Nervous Breakdown , and the album's two closing tracks (Ugly Town & Golden Train) have a similar R'n'B flavour.
Sebatin is the band's main songwriter, contributing 7 of the 12 songs and co-writing the title track with Steve Tatone. Tatone himself pens another two songs both of which have a punkier Meat Puppets feel.
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Doug Gouthro's one song is a breezy bar room number 'Aint Gonna Drink No More' and sounds a surefire crowd pleaser as does Sebatin's 'New Years' with its drink-weary rallying cry of "it's a brand new fucking year".
The standout track for me is the catchy 'Eldorado' , an infectious Rawhide type workout set against the backdrop of 19th century goldiggers with great lines like: "they came with a pick-axe in their hands and a pocketful of holes".
This is a solid and well played album although it must be said that the sum of the parts don't fully transcend their influences. Until they find their own voice, the band can only be classed as traditionally alternative.
12 t 44.09m
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