The Garnet Hearts – Cupid
Another Mile Records [2010]
This Lonely Bed – Carry On Renee – Cupid – Thistle In Your Garden – All The Time In The Worlds – Medusa – If She’s Pretty – Broken Arrow – Every Good Love Story – Can’t Be Loved – Bonfire – Thistle In Your Garden (alt.) – Every Good Love Story (alt) – Bonfire (alt.)
The excellent rockabilly combo the Garnet Heart returns with a new guitarist, a new label and a brand new and hot platter. Eddie Macintosh (formerly of the Boom Boom Cats – try to get their album on Vinylux) is one hell of a rockabilly singer with a mean voice and a sense for writing songs that grab you (wether it’s to move your soul or your feet). The core of this album is made of hot and wild rockabilly and rock’n’roll numbers that already sound like classics. The recording/production work suits them perfectly and is not that far from the Wild Hare label sound. I mean it’s roots and sounds “authentic” but it’s never to the detriment of the quality of the sound (many band should learn that). You’ll also find a bit of hillbilly (Right Here with You, All This Time In the World) and a superb Arthur Crudup type of rockin’ blues (Medusa). Still on the blues side, “Every Good Love Story” sounds like a cross between Howlin’ Wolf, Charlie Feathers and Dale Hawkins, man, can you imagine how good it sounds (don’t imagine, buy the record). One of the highlight of the album is Can’t Be Loved” a latin lament with a beautiful Spanish guitar I could listen over and over again. Last (but surely not least as they say) is a cover of Jimmie Piper’s Bonfire, a awesome murder ballad that confirms three things: the Garnet Hearts is a highly talented band with impeccable taste, Andrew Ladson is the perfect addition on guitar and Mark Pettijohn has to be one of the best drummer in the land. Included are 3 alternate takes/mixes.
The choice is yours: buy it or… buy it.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis