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Show 7 MUSIC noted N.Y. Despite - 1 r r capital of Queens, country-musi- c their birthplaces, the two took easily to country and worked as staff songwriters in Music City, creating hit songs for The Judds and Alabama before striking out on their own. Listen to "One True Love," for example, and you'll likely find yourself thinking of tooling fast down an open road in a pickup truck, windows down, crisp Kentucky air blowing through your hair. No smiles: A rock fan might think that sometimes they stumble. "In My Heart" is d an lament of left. Followed as it is a woman who up and by "I'm Lonely," you might wonder how folks in Nashville manage to muster a smile. Fortunately, the spare lyrics, calling up spent emotion, can't disguise a tune bolstered by spunky Kane's nifty mandolin work. Stylistically, The O'Kanes blend the old and the new in a very appealing fashion. You can hear the influence of bluegrass in the instrumentals, the easy vocal harmonies so reminiscent of the Everly Brothers and a few jazzy digressions as well. This is true innovation in country music musical and lyrical explorations by new traditionalists who make music that is both new and traditional. Just when you think you've got some basic bluegrass, the next tune harks back to folk or the blues. If you don't listen to The O'Kanes just because they're country, you're missing an awfully fine time. Buy this record hound-dog-sa- I) -' PAUL NATKIN A country blend of old and new: The O'KanesO'Hara (left) and Kane PHOTO RESERVE in concert Stunnd The O'Kanes make music that's simple review as straightforward as the music of The O'Kanes would say, "Buy this record it's good." Their second album, "Tired of the Runnin'," picks up where their refreshing debut left off country tunes played with a deft crispness, creating music as stunning in its simplicity as an Edward Hopper painting. U2's music evokes Ireland. Chicano culture powers Los Lobos. Hear The O'Kanes and you'll hear America. Nothing bor Nashville, Tenn. Jamie O'Hara hails from Toledo, Ohio, and Kieran Kane (O'Hara and Kane get it? The O'Kanes) from the Freaks? The first impression you get from the name is leather-clad zombies flailing away at detuned instruments while howling punk obscenities. Well, never trust first impressions. House of Freaks cranks out gritty rock and roll that refers back to a purer, form: Buddy HolBo a with Diddley bite. Their ly is most evident drive gutsy in live performance, but on their debut album, Monkey on a Chain Gang (Rhino), they've managed to capture 90 percent of the raw energy of their stage show without knuckling under to the conventional wis er MAY 1988 to Two the recording studio. House of Freaks is a duo. Period. Songwriter Bryan Harvey plays guitar and sings. Johnny Hott plays drums. Period. No "guest musicians" either on disc or onstage and very little electronic manipulation or overdubbing. Just foot stompers straight-ahea- d such as "Yellow Dog," driven by Hott's relentless and creative pounding (and, in concert, howling). Or a potential pop anthem like "40 Years," a melodic paean to an anniversary of Hiroshima, that soars on the earnest delivery of Harvey's vocal. When he sings, "Pray for yourself and for your memories And be thankful dom of and good rowed from British bands, no rhythms from Africa, this music with instruments like the fiddle, banjo and mandolin is homegrown. No tricks, either, up this record sleeve; The O'Kanes make a big deal about recording "live," without overdubs, all six members of the studio band playing on the same take. The O'Kanes weren't exactly weaned in Rock and Roll Gomes Dovn of band would What kind itself House of foot-stompi- n' it's good. Todd Guys we've had 40 years," in counterpoint to his roughly textured guitar voicings, the song achieves a haunting unity, propelling the concept as well as the rhythm. Bare bones: The rest of the album is equally inventive, displaying a wide variety of forms that seem to borrow g from the likes of blues and country, without ripping them off. Only two cuts, "Give Me a Sign" and "Dark and Light in New Mexico," made me wonder if a punchy bass line or harmony vocal would help. But I hope Harvey and Hott resist the temptation to add other instruments and voices, and Barrett ! knee-slappin- 1987 PHIL SALTONSTALL Raw energy: House of Freaks continue to explore every mus sical possibility as a duo. House of Freaks is a great band. Period. Robert J. George bare-bone- NEWSWEEK ON CAMPUS 47 |
