Sin City Boys – Temptation Road
On the back of Duane Jarvis’ excellent album Far From Perfect, Lucinda Williams penned liner notes that read, “Imagine hanging out at CBGB’s, your back against the bar, shirt all soaked with sweat, a cold Shiner Bock in one hand, and a shot of Cuervo in the other.” That description, perhaps subbing a Pabst and Jack Daniels, is also a good description of the brand of rock ‘n’ roll these Cunucks throw at ya on this eight-song mini-album.
From the Dolls-like “Stranded In The Jungle” drums on the opening title track, these boys play fast and loose with their influences, as well as their volume. Mainly, think Johnny Thunders-variety Heartbreakers, Jason’s Scorchers, True Believers, even a little Guns N’ Roses — but mostly, this disc sounds like a north-of-the-border homage to Missouri’s finest, the Bottle Rockets. In fact, Kevin Jollimore’s vocals have enough Midwestern twang in them to pass for the lost brother of Brian Henneman.
And it works like a charm. The hilariously defensive “I Ain’t Goin’ Country” (which could become an anthem for every band who was playing rock ‘n’ roll bars last week and trying to get reviewed in No Depression this week), could easily be on the next Bottle Rockets album. Elsewhere, “Half A Chance” is a honky-tonk classic just waiting to be added to your local jukebox, while “Been So Long” cranks up them geetars and sounds like an old Alejandro Escovedo nugget from the very old days. And, believe it or not, “Hungry Enough” will having you running to find that lost Dictators album.
Yeah, the influences are fairly obvious, but the songs and the playing are exemplary, and the result is a fine dose of heartland roots ‘n’ roll, by way of Toronto.