Left Lane Cruiser & James LegPainkillers
Alive Natural Sound Records [2012]
Fire Note Says: Left Lane Cruiser and James Leg team up to give you blues with an attitude on their new covers record Painkillers.
Album Review:
What do you get when you combine the punk blues duo Left Lane Cruiser with a keyboardist/howler from the Black Diamond Heavies named James Leg? Any idea? Did I mention that their collaboration Painkillers is a covers record? I didn't? Did I mention Painkillers also includes Jim Diamond (The Dirtbombs) on bass and 66 year old bluesman Harmonic Shah on harmonica? Any guesses yet? No? What if you knew that Painkillers has tracks from Jr Kimbrough, Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, Taj Mahal, The Rolling Stones and even Led Zeppelin?
Alright enough with the questions because from the information above I am sure that most music addicts will come to the conclusion that Left Lane Cruiser & James Leg have released one bad ass dirty blues covers record that is gritty, tight and a fun ride right up to the last lick. The songs take a life of their own on Painkillers as the in your face rock out of Taj Mahal's "Chevrolet" is a true winner and the almost unrecognizable "When The Levee Breaks" will have you hitting repeat to hear their interpretation again. The crazy sick harmonica playing by 66 year old Harmonic Shah is nuts on the Willie Dixon classic "Red Rooster" which is an album highlight.
Not all the tracks here shine as bright as the listed ones above on Painkillers but this is a record that does nothing but honor the artists LLC and James Leg tackle here which is what you want from a solid covers album. Fans of all the members included in the collaboration will enjoy this 35 minute record and honestly it is one of those albums that you play which always creates conversation. From that perspective Painkillers is a winner and I would love to see this collective put something else out because it has the potential to be stellar!
Key Tracks: "Red Rooster", "Chevrolet", "Come To Poppa"
Bands With Similar Fire:
Tom Waits
The Black Keys
Radio Moscow
Left Lane Cruiser Facebook
Alive Natural Sound Records
-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony
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