Robert Gordon with Link Wray [LP] [Bonus Track] in Bloomington, MN

Lester Bangs
once described
Robert Gordon
as looking as if he belonged in a natural history museum identified as "Bopcatus Americanus," and while his first album wasn't the one that inspired the comment, the vintage duds and greased-up pompadour he sports on the front cover would have done any pop culture archeologist proud. While
Gordon
first hit the New York City rock scene as a proto-punk with
Tuff Darts
, when he struck out on his own in 1977 he was one of America's first
rockabilly
revivalists, covering the likes of
Eddie Cochran
,
Billy Lee Riley
, and
Carl Perkins
as if he was waiting for
Sam Phillips
to stop by and discover him. For this album,
paired up with legendary guitarist
Link Wray
, and the result was a solid and evocative tribute to first-era rock & roll, though with a few details turned around.
Wray
was never really a rockabilly player, and while he brings plenty of fire and gritty presence to these sessions, the
"Rumble"
man sometimes seems to be holding back uncomfortably on the quieter songs, waiting for the opportunity to offer the full-bore blast that was his stock in trade (and he delivers it on cuts like
"Flyin' Saucers Rock & Roll"
). The rest of
's band often sounds more utilitarian than inspired, but they also don't overplay, and rock these tunes with clean power. And while
doesn't bring much of a personality of his own to this material (the originals were written by
, not
), there's no arguing that he had great pipes and sings these songs with the conviction of a true believer. It would be a few years before the great rockabilly awakening would truly happen in America, but
was one hepcat who already believed in the Big Beat in 1977, and his first album was filled with inspired moments. ~ Mark Deming