The High Steppers – s/t
Martin’s Garage Records – STR-MGV-006 [2017]
The Flea – He’s Nowhere / Gonna Ball – Too Many Honky Tonks
The High Steppers are a drummer-less trio featuring Branko Radovančević on vocals and rhythm guitar, Filip Nesvadba on lead guitar, and Marko Markoč on double bass. Together or separately, they have played in B and the Bops, the Dalharts, Twisted Rod, Mad Men…
If you dig primitive and raw Rockabilly tinged with Hillbilly Bop, look no further, this one is for you. The Flea is everything Rockabilly should be: light electric guitar, strong double bass (and superbly recorded to boot), and fantastic vocals on top. I believe that’s the kind of song that Willie Lewis would have been happy to release on his Rock-A-Billy records label. He’s Nowhere reminded me a bit of the style of the great Roy Kay Trio. On the flip, Gonna Ball changes the pace with a slow and menacing drive. This excellent little slice of vinyl ends with Too Many Honky Tonks, which unsurprisingly has a more pronounced rural flair both on the vocals and the instrumentation.
If you dig stuff issued by labels like the aforementioned Rock-A-Billy Records or Dave Moore’s Wild Hare, don’t hesitate, this one is for you.
And icing on the cake, it comes in a superbly designed cover.
Available here.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
