THE CADILLAC HITMEN "The Assasin" 1998

Take your beach huggin' buns out to the dude ranch, rope some, throw a few, brand even less, and ride the sweat of your brow, 'cuz the trails through desert call to you across the expanses of the great Southwest. A nice mix of elements, including some surf and many tracks that would fit right in without even a whimper. Solid CD. - Phil DirtLike everything is here on the first CD from Portsmouth New Hamphsire, USA's Cadillac Hitmen - influences of Link, Davie Allan, Ventures, Duane, Sergio Leone and more but played with an originality that defies the fact that the group have only been in existence for 18 months. Wow! What a scintillating debut. By now you'll have read the article on the boys and one girl earlier in NGD and you'll have rightly grabbed that we make this album one of contenders for CD of the year already. It's expertly played and beautifully produced grunge rock instrumental, mastered perfectly and mixed with a clean, crisp yet vicious surf brush! The guitar theatrics are outstanding with the smooth yet punchy "Desert Floor Mirage" and the fabulous drive and melodic excitement of the winning "Fistful of Amphetamines." "Eldorado" has superb driving rhythms - I thought only the Ventures' Don Wilson knew how to do this and get away with it but I was wrong. "The Stalker" is a staggering slice of how to play rocking, tasteful instrumental without boring the tits off you. The title track is hot and "Downhill Slide" is peaceful. "Bullwhip" is not for the feint-hearted. Happy Trails indeed - wonderful set. - Davytrax:

1. Black Hills 2. Desert Floor (Mirage) 3. Fistfull of Amphetamines 4. Lonestar State of Mind 5. Eldorado 6. The Stalker 7. The Assassin 8. The Downhill Side 9. Flowmaster 10. Bullwhip 11. The Incident at Nacho Grandé