More songs about lying, cheating, poverty and freight trains.
Michael Ubaldini may be unashamedly old school but he sings in the present tense.
His troubadour lifestyle of cheap motels, heavy booze and wild women enables him to pen serious songs with tongue in cheek titles like Buried By The Gospel, Divorced By The Law and My Liver's Bad-My Life's A Mess(And I Blame You Sweetheart).
It also leads him to boast of being both "a rock'n'roll poet" and "the last country and western star". In the title track he rails against the drabness of the modern country sound and the growth of "tribe music".
Gary Brandlin leads a well tuned backing band on pedal steel and electric dobro and with role models like Hank Williams and Gram Parsons, this is more than just another case of twang for twang's sake.
Michael and his Playboys are not aiming to be a retro novelty band but want to show there's life in this old genre yet.
|
They mix up-tempo Rock'n'Roll numbers about low life (e.g. Devil's Den Of Sin / Shambles) with slow blues (e.g.When A Freight Train Rolls Right Over You / Low Down Poverty Blues) playing each style with energy, humour and passion.
The high point ,though, is in a melancholy tale of "vagabond drifting" and forever chasing illusive dreams called Highway Ghost.
Ubaldini is the real deal and it comes as no surprise to learn 's live shows have attracted artists like Lucinda Williams, Joe Strummer and John Fogerty. The Honky Tonk bars may be closing but albums as genuine as this will ensure that the music lives on.
Michael Ubaldini's Website
|
