Updates

• Added info on Jimmy Ford, thanks to Volker Houghton. • Extended and corrected the post on Happy Harold Thaxton (long overdue), thanks to everyone who sent in memories and information! • Added information to the Jim Murray post, provided by Mike Doyle, Dennis Rogers, and Marty Scarbrough. • Expanded the information on Charlie Dial found in the Little Shoe post.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Petunia & the Vipers review

I guess you know all about the "usual" modern rockabilly band: slap bass, lots of echo and songs that have been covered by hundres of bands before. No offense against those groups but when you are listening to Petunia and the Vipers' new album, you have to expect different music. Their music is a mixture between jazz, country, and rockabilly.

The opening track for their selftitled debut album is a nice country ballad with a jazzy steel guitar intro and a fine Slim Whitman styled yodel offering by vocalist Petunia. It's a waltz and you sure can imagine two sweethearts dancing to this tune out in the moonlight. The nect track, "Mercy," is a bit faster and a smocking country honky tonk song that creates a dark, dusty atmosphere. Again, steel guitarist Jimmy Roy adds some nice solos. "Maybe Baby Amy" now really kicks it off with a slappin' rockabilly song with powerful lead guitar licks by Stephen Nikleva. Other fine tracks are the swingin' "Yes Baby Yes" and "Gitterbug." I really love it when Petunia belts out "Gitterbuuuuug" with a raspy voice.

Petunia & the Vipers is an album full of different sounds and styles but all done in a remarkable way by the band. There are beautiful country songs, hot rockabilly tunes, and really great jazz tracks. It's the mixture between all threee musical direction that makes this album to an outstanding record, being not one of the "usual" rockabilly offferings.

Visit the official website

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