Bill Kirchen
, the master of the Telecaster, started his first post-
Commander Cody Band
,
the Moonlighters
, with other guys from the
Lost Planet Airmen
. At first, they were actually Moonlighting from
Cody
, but when that band splintered,
became
Kirchen
's main gig and the first
Bill Kirchen Band
. The band released three official albums, including the
Nick Lowe
produced
Rush Hour
, before
left for the East coast. During their brief heyday they moved from a country/swing band in the manner of
Commander Cody
to a skinny tie semi-new wave group. The tunes from these recently unearthed sessions cover both aspects of the band's history. The live disc includes selections recorded at various San Francisco Bay Area nightclubs and one from a Canadian tour. The sound quality varies widely and often
's guitar and vocals, which are the main attraction, are lost in the muddy mix. The best moments --
"Let It Rock"
a
Chuck Berry
knock-off by
Al Anderson
that features a twanging
solo, great piano work from
Austin De Lone
, and
Tony Johnson
's frenzied drumming, a horn heavy arrangement of the traditional country blues
"Sittin' on Top of the World"
with solid pedal steel work by
Steve Fishell
and a
solo you can actually decipher, and
"Ubangi Stomp,"
the
Sun Records
classic, with hot solos from
De Lone
Johnson
The sound quality on the studio recordings isn't great, either, but the mix is clean and you can hear what everyone is playing. Most of the band's original material is made up of generic bar band tunes that recycle familiar riffs and style without adding anything new or even mildly interesting.
's leads are often the best thing on any given track, but even a good guitarist can't save a mediocre song. Two of the best tracks are covers, never a good sign.
"Seven Nights to Rock"
gives
Rockpile
's version a run for its money with a solid
solo driving the band home.
"The Angels Listened In"
is an oldie first done by
the Crests
, and it's fun more for its nostalgic kick than any intrinsic musical merit.
"All Tore Up,"
a band original, is an energetic three-chord rocker with a roadhouse vibe, and
"True Love"
is a cool midtempo love song with a catchy chorus and a new wave meets '50s feel. Then there's the best of he rest:
"Worthy of a Second Step"
(a passable
Memphis soul
-meets-
Motown
ballad,
"The Day I Throw My Phone Away"
(a rockin' kiss-off of an old girlfriend written before cell phones became ubiquitous), and
"Big Noise in the Neighborhood,"
an odd, almost metallic party anthem. ~ j. poet