"Now Honey, Now Baby, Now Listen..." by White Trash Blues Revival

Remember when you were just a little one and you built musical instruments because, hell, you were only eight and it was fun. Personally, I built some "drums" out of two pieces of plywood and used a pair of swizzle sticks  (remember those?) as drum sticks. They worked great because they had little balls on the end of one side...JUST LIKE REAL DRUM STICKS!

Well, imagine if you were a professional musician and at a bar you frequent/play frequently that they were having a best of the worst bands contest. Would you ever conceive of calling your buddies and asking them to create something horrific as a joke. Like the drummer not even playing drums, but an empty beer kg, a bucket, and a cardboard box instead? Or the guitarist not even using a cigar box guitar, but a skateboard with pickups? Well that's what Sausage Paw of Left Lane Cruiser did. It worked so well that after a 20 minute set, they were booked for real and a band was born.

White Trash Blues Revival

So, for lack of a better term, imagine a depression era family band playing instruments they built themselves, but then adding Pete Dio (RJD's \m/ cousin) on traditional drums too and you have a good idea about what the hell is going on here with the White Trash Blues Revival.

This album opens up with the "hit" single "She Don't Care" and this song really sets the tone. After about ninety seconds of the most snarling guitar tone you've ever heard along with the clinking of trash can lids the vocals kick in and just at that moment you'll say to yourself, damn, they just nailed it.

The vocals feel very silky smooth in all of the songs, but the veracity of that statement cannot be verified. Look at the instruments being played here! Just to reiterate: The guitar is a skateboard and a beer bottle. Have you seen "It Might Get Loud?" The guitarist is playing a modest upgrade over what Jack White built in "It Might Get Loud!" The bass is a washtub bass like we used to see in the Loony Toons cartoons each morning. There is an honest set of drums, but all that Pete Dio does is keep the time. Bren "Sausage Paw" Beck all the "melody" lines on his makeshift drums.

I think it goes without saying that the songs on this record start to sound a little bit similar, but that would have more to do with the fact that the guitarist and the bassist have only three strings between them! What's more amazing is what they can accomplish with only three strings and a trash can lid. They have crafted eight tracks that groove.

There isn't a whole lot of guitar work and don't expect any Steve Harris styled bass riffs. The guitar, bass, and proper drums hold the groove while Sausage Paw lights the oil can fire on his household goods percussion set.

There's no way to listen to this record without feeling something. Like all great blues, it won't make you sad, but will make you smile.

St. Louis folks! Don't miss them at Off Broadway on Friday October 25th with Left Lane Cruiser and the Hooten Hallers!

Year: 2013
Genre: Blues (???)

Tracklisting:
1) She Don't Care
2) Dying Day
3) Drives A Man To Drinking
4) Dimestore Salvation
5) Excuse Me Miss
6) Run Away
7) Uncle Tony
8) Redemption

Let us know what you think of the video in the comments.