The Earls of Suave "The Basement Bar At The Heartbreak Hotel" 1994 + "A Cheat" 1992 - 7"/45rpm

Good to see there are still bands who need no explanation. Tav Falco may have beaten them to it by a decade or so, but who could deny this gang of London low-lifers (ex Stingrays / Gallon Drunk) the pleasure of rollicking spiritedly through old gems by Johnny Cash, Jimmy Reed and Lee Hazelwood, not to mention a few after-hours tunes of their own? As adorably ephemeral as the ceramic bust of Elvis on the cover.The six-piece Earls appear on the front dressed in moody finery: the lighting is low and red, there's more than one bit of Elvis memorabilia. The back shows a picture of Vegas in full neon glitter, and between all these design elements what the group itself lives by becomes perfectly clear. Recorded by Liam Watson at the legendary Toerag Studios in London, where it seems the entire trash /Vegas /rockabilly /lounge wing of the '80s and '90s, U.K. division, set up shop, Basement Bar wears its amusingly black heart on its sleeve. The Marquis de Suave (but of course) heads up the affair with his appropriately hiccuped, snarled, and crooned approach, while his compatriots amp up the echo and dankness just so, finding a spot where the Sun Studio sound crashed right into one of Sinatra's most pissed-off nights. Things aren't ramshackle -- the group consists of skilled performers, including semi-regular Gallon Drunk standby Max Decharne on some vicious piano and keyboards -- but everything sounds just trashy and on the edge enough. A fair chunk of the songs are covers, including the band's debut single, "A Cheat." Written by Lee Hazlewood, the Earls give it the swampy aura of hammy threat it needs, in spades, right down to the wailed female backing vocals. Other winning revamps include Jimmy Reed's legendary "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby," Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire," and, but of course, Elvis' "A Fool Such As I." As for the originals, the Earls can cook up some fun -- Decharne's contributions get to the heart of the matter, such as "One More Beer" and "Really Gone This Time." Guitarist Johnny Johnson turns in the hilariously titled "Mondo Moodo (Nein Danke)," while half the band goes in on the country-cliché-come-to-life "You Can Call (But I Won't Answer)." Energetic, messy fun all in all. ~ Ned Raggett, RoviPersonnel:
Max Decharne (vocals, piano, drums, background vocals); Marquis de Suave (vocals, background vocals); Debbie Green (vocals); Johnny "Tub" Johnson (guitar, harmonica); Brandon Moon, Mark Hosking (guitar, background vocals); Jeff Mead (guitar); Joe Whitney (drums); Paul Dempsey (background vocals)

trax:
01 Ain't that lovin' you baby 02 A cheat 03 (Now & then there's) A Fool Such As I 04 Ring of fire 05 Sea of love 06 She's my witch 07 Mondo Moodo (Nein Danke) 08 Stranger In My Own Home Town 09 Nothing takes the place of you 10 Somebody buy me a drink 11 Really gone this time 12 You can call (But I won't Answer) 13 Cheap wine 14 Yabba Dabba Doo (So you are) 15 One more beer 16 Little ole wine drinker me 17 Nobody knows

"A Cheat" 1992 - 7"/45rpmA fair chunk of the songs are covers, including the band's debut single, "A Cheat." Written by Lee Hazlewood, the Earls give it the swampy aura of hammy threat it needs, in spades, right down to the wailed female backing vocals.trax:
1. A Cheat 2. Who Will The Next Fool Be?