(Mint) www.mintrecs.com
Aloha. And welcome to Club Atomic 7 with your hosts, Brian Connolly and co. Leave your coat at the door and feel free to take a drink from one of the lovely waitresses you see; sit back ,relax, have a dance, take an evening stroll, whatever takes your fancy, it can only do you good. Such is the evocative and picture-esque visuals on offer here. Visuals, 'cos it's total soundtrack music, be it film-noir, surreal spaghetti westerns, cartoons (see "Her Sassy Kiss", which almost slips and slides into "Hey Good Lookin'") and gangster flicks that bring to mind tropical landscapes, sunsets and booty shakin' cocktail bar kitsch ("She's Got Haggar Party Slacks", with a melody like Kenny Rogers' "Just Checked In To See What Condition My Condition Is In", transports you off to a land where the B-52's Katie Pierson's permanently go-go dancing in those white boots in the "Loveshack" vid. Or maybe that's just me.). You really could go walkin' in the sand with this on, a whirlwind of rockabilly piledrivers, Latino mambo swingers ("SexyActionCool") and even the odd bit of ragtime ("Hairbone"). Could've added to the "Written and Directed By" credit and gone the whole cinemascope hog by putting recorded in Panavision, or Technicolour day-glo. Especially with nods to films, like on "Day of the Deadbeats" - a suitably laidback, sitting on the porch with an early evening, high summer drink serenade, in a perfect world watching the sunset across the horizon while gazing out to sea - "The Man With The Golden Card" and "Theme From Atomic 7", which really does conjure up images of riders appearing into view like, say, the beginning of The Outlaw Josey Wales. In a similar manner, the opening "Chock Full O'Notes" could bring to life old silent comedy staple of the train hurtling down the track towards the trussed up dame. Throughout, Brian Connolly gouges out a dazzling, mouthwatering whirlwind of guitar wizardry. Quite often the songs have enuff parts and riffs in them to fuel a whole album- well, okay, at least a coupla songs, like some kind of lounge lizard Tony Iommi. "There's a New Guitar In Town", indeedy. Impeccably classy, stylish and suave, music to comb your hair to before you hotfoot it outta the door. (The press blurb mentions the cat playing a Gretsch White Falcon and you don't get much more stylish than that. No
Sirreee). Fantastico. - Stu Gibson