J. Isaiah Evans & The Boss Tweed – Americana Radio
Sunland Sound
10 Tracks – 31 minutes
Dallas Texas’ J. Isaiah Evans has been the front man for the roots rock and roll band The 40 Acre Mule for over a decade. But now he moves into a new direction with an all-new band with a unique trio for a new sound he calls “Garageicana Rock-n-Roll”. Evans was always a fan of Booker T. and The MGs. Evans created his new trio with the idea of having the keyboards front and center. The new band featuring Evans on guitar, keyboardist Matthew Vasquez, and drummer Spud Crowley espouses a line-up more common to jazz trios. But Evans’ idea is to create roots music inspired by acts like Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and Ike Turner. Evans cites the music as “fueled by American rock & roll and Texan country-boogie”. The band has opened for Alejandro Escovedo and Dave Alvin and The Third Mind.
The band comes out strong with the declaration of “Let’s Rock” as he says he is going “to pick her up, put on these dancing shoes” as the whole band gets things jumping. Next, he says, “I am sorry papa, I thought you understood, your little man’s all grown-up and “Up to No Good”. It started way back when I was in school …breaking every rule”. “Americana Radio” is pure rock and roll as he proclaims “Honky-tonk heroes and juke joint star, still nobody knows who we are, set up a meeting with the A&R man with a better plan, we gotta get you on Americana radio, a little country, a little rock-n-roll really don’t matter long as you got soul”.
“Pullman Porter Blues” slows things down on a roadhouse blues number with Vasquez’s B-3 swirling behind Evan’s prodding guitar as he tells “I came back from California, a guitar and a dream, I tried to go to Texas, but she was through with me”. “Fell into the arms of a voodoo queen, put a spell on me and made my money disappear.” He tells her “I’ve got a secret I’ve been keeping for so long now. I’ve got to tell you, but I don’t know how. The rumors are true, I’ve got “A Thing for You”. “Hat-in-Hand” is a song Evans played in his former band and now updated for the current band formation. He explains, “I thought it would be better if I was not around. Strike up the match and burn this to the ground. Packed up my bags and said I am a new me” “The ring around my finger is like a rope around my neck.”
“The Devil Makes Three (Coche Del Diablo) is a sizzling instrumental. A cover of Mel Mcdaniel’s “Stand Up” first released in 1985 is the sole cover on the album. The song examines all the things that can go wrong in a relationship and asks that you “Stand up if you have ever been there”. “Ruby Anne” is a rocker that brings to mind Little Richard’s “Lucille”. Evans closes the album with “Trouble Bound” as he warns “You better settle down, you know you are trouble bound. Running around the world chasing every kind of girl town to town”.
The band is rooted in present day but brings a reflection of the great music of the past and could probably found a place to occupy in the 1950’s. J. Isaiah Evans guitar keeps things rocking with strong deep vocals that draws you in and with Matthew Vasquez’s B-3 sometimes reminding of Augie Meyer’s organ in the great Texas band Sir Douglas Quintet. Spud Crowley offers a solid beat behind the music that keeps the music raw and gripping. Together they provide a sound that will make an audience get to their feet and shake off their doldrums. This is rock-n-roll revived.
