Luxuriant Sedans’ Hi Octane Blues
Grant Britt
Posted On September 17, 2015
They call themselves The Luxuriant Sedans. But this Winston Salem-based hi-octane machine is more a Vin Diesel Fast And Furious vehicle than a high-end luxury ride. The five-piece powerhouse pounds out a passel of covers on their debut outing, shredding the originals to create their own stripped-down roadster version.
Composer Jerry McCain is best known for his composition “She’s Tough,” the inspiration for the Fabulous Thunderbird’s version from ’79’s Girls Go Wild. But the Sedans dug up McCain’s ’54 classic, “Stay Out Of These Automobiles,” a jangly jump blues which nevertheless cruises along rather sedately.
The video is crammed with prancing strippers and formerly untainted young girls who’ve gone slutty upon contact with shiny convertibles.
Webb Wilder took it over many years later with a Ry Cooderish- feel to his cautionary tale.
On their take, guitarists Rob Slater and Gino “Woo Funk” Grandinetti come out like blazing like AC/DC’s Angus Young, falling into some Chuck Berry lickery before leaping back onstage with Angus for the wiggly, shimmery duration, vocalist harpist Mike “Wezo” Wesolowski roaring like a cougar gargling moonshine.
Ry Cooder gets a shout-out on “Gotta Keep Moving,” the tune co-authored with former vocalizing partners Bobby King and Terry Evans; covered by Evans with Hans Theesink replacing Cooder on the April release True and Blue. But once again, The Sedans transmogrify the tune, Slater and Grandinetti’s blistering psychedelic riffs shattering the quiet of the acoustic original, Wezo howlin’ like a gut-shot grizzly.
Duke Jenkins Orchestra’s 1957 hit “Shake It” on Cobra records with fellow labelmates Otis Rush, Magic Sam and Sunnyland Slim and Ike Turner was originally a samba beat with Jenkins, sounding like he’s trying to launch a new dance craze, dropping in once in awhile to tell you in a ponderous basso profundo to stop- don’t move a thing.
The Sedans are a bit more raucous, with Wezo sounding like he’s playing and singing in a culvert, harp and vocals bouncing around off that concrete with a troll mumbling threateningly in the background.
It’s great to hear John Nemeth covered.
Nemeth has voice like a 50s crooner and plays harp like a mash up of Chicago greats. But of course, the Sedans rip his version of “My Baby’s Gone” to shreds, turning Nemeth’s swampy lament inside out. Bumgardner takes the vocal lead on this one, while the band churns up an electric storm around him, Wezo chewing hunks out of his harp, spitting them out furiously between guttural howls.
The only original, “I Can’t Sleep,” has a Slim Harpo feel,Wezo’s vocals crackling like a cauldron of fried catfish in a backwater juke joint with John Fogerty guitar licks draped around his shoulders by Slater and Grandinetti, Bumgardner rolling a fonky bassline across the dirt floor as Wezo spits out a few reeds trading licks with the guitars.
These sedans ain’t built for comfort-its all done at speed. Make sure you’re strapped in, hang on and enjoy the ride.
Grant Britt
