Rating:
Genre:
Country
Release Date: 07/27/2004
The Notorious Cherry Bombs are the
country music equivalent of a supergroup. Most of the members of this band --
Rodney Crowell,
Vince Gill,
Tony Brown, and
Hank DeVito -- all met while playing together in
Emmylou Harris' Hot Band. The original
Cherry Bombs were
Crowell's recording and touring band after he left
Harris' group. Guitarist
Richard Bennett stepped into
the Cherry Bombs when
Albert Lee left to tour with
Eric Clapton. The late drummer
Larrie London was also a member of that band, as was
Emory Gordy. While
London makes an appearance by the magic of tape,
Gordy had no interest in the reunion. Also present on this set are Nashville session hotshots
Eddie Bayers,
John Hobbs, and
Michael Rhodes.
Jenny Gill,
Vince's daughter, sings backup on one track as well. Sonically, the music is loose good-time
country-rock, and the gorgeous harmonies between
Gill and
Crowell are a high point. The songs are mostly spread out between the pair; they co-wrote three, and each contributed a pair of solo tracks with a smattering of others carefully chosen for full relaxed effect. All the collaborations -- the rollicking opener,
"Let It Roll, Let It Ride," which is a modern-day version of
country boogie, the single
"It's Hard to Kiss the Lips at Night That Chew Your Ass Out All Day Long," and the midtempo
torch song "Dangerous Curves" -- are clear standouts, as is a studio version of
Gill's live
rockabilly standard
"Oklahoma Dust." DeVito's classic
"Sweet Little Lisa," immortalized by
Dave Edmunds, is another watermark. Given the inclusion of this track and
DeVito's link to
Edmunds,
the Notorious Cherry Bombs have a metaphorical relationship as the
country music cousin of
Rockpile, the
Edmunds and
Nick Lowe-fronted multi-talented group that issued the classic
Seconds of Pleasure in the early '80s -- while the original
Cherry Bombs were performing and recording together here and in England. As reunions go, this is as solid and wonderfully played a set of tunes -- with a boatload of guitar players -- as one could assemble. There's "destiny" inscribed in all these grooves. If listeners connect, this seeming one-off may turn into something else. Let's hope they do.
~Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
;)
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