The Stepbrothers are kinda living up to their name and have a general air of indecisiveness and diffidence, like they're slightly put upon and out of place. Hailing from Texas, they don't quite let the side down (not so far received any duds from that big, bad ass ol' town) they just work better belting out their resplendent, relentless n' restless rootsy rockers like 'I'll Have Another', 'Very Last Time' (which cheekily, and grinningly, nicks a bit of Quo's 'Caroline' and motors along pleasingly like the Sunday Drunks) and sluiced in the street at 2am 'Shut It Down' which chugs along on a gargantuan streamlined riff that'd turn Malcolm Young Godzilla green, make Eddie Cochran ask for a guest list, and have the girls looking wistfully stageward, steaming stagnant pools forming at their feets. However, some things lack cohesiveness and consistency to these greasy ears. The odd flashes of fraying frenzy right at the fore of the best moments already discussed aren't quite there all the time. F'rinstance, 'All Over Town' never quite convinces as the singer verges between what seems an unconfident, tho maybe carefree, lazy and laconic lyric before letting rip with a pretty good approximation of Robert Plant bathed in stagelights and ludicrous pants, prowling around squawking paeans to Page, (octo)pussies and perhaps Puerto Ricans. 'It Ain't Gonna Last' too had me in high hopes of some shivery Skynyrd slugs, but it doesn't really even get to Bob Seger sips, sounding confused and while certainly striving never quite reaching far enough, settling for second base. A shame, as it has some tantalizing glimpses of awesome scenic splendor, overlooking desert landscapes with Doug Sahm. Despite this though overall they still possess a healthy, life-affirming dose of an almost imperceptible Texan touch that is maybe the weather, the water, or the weed.

Tequila or Texan tea, now there's a talk-show topic.
_______________________________________________

– Stu Gibson