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The masked Nashville outfit Los Straitjackets have always been thought of as an instrumental surf-rock combo, but with their fifth album, the quartet is ready to do away with that tag. Joined by a cadre of talented vocalists -- including the Mavericks' Raul Malo, Sixpence None the Richer's Leigh Nash, ex-X frontwoman Exene Cervenka and loungeabilly freak The Reverend Horton Heat -- Los Straitjackets inject a diverse range of voices into their guitar-led assault. They also expand their sonic horizons, veering away from the strict Link Wray/Ventures surf-twang sound of their previous releases towards soul ("Treat Her Right"), Western swing ("I'll Go Down Swinging"), classic pop ("The End of the World") and Fifties greaser-rock ("Chica Albortada"). It all feels a little backwards-looking, but tight, heartfelt performances -- most notably, country siren Allison Moorer's stunning Aretha-fied take on "I Ain't the One," a song popularized by Waylon Jennings -- make their retro take not only tolerable, but winning.
DAVID PEISNER
(September 24, 2001)
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Track List
- Black Is Black (with Raul Malo)
- Chica Alborotada (with Big Sandy)
- Treat Her Right (with Mark Lindsay)
- I Ain't The One (with Allison Moorer and Lonesome Bob)
- Down The Line (with Reverend Horton Heat)
- Rey Criollo (with El Vez)
- California Sun (with Dave Alvin)
- I'll Go Down Swinging (with Exene Cervenka)
- La Suegra (with Big Sandy)
- Bumble Bee (with Mike Campbell)
- Shake That Rat (with Nick Lowe)
- The End Of The World (with Leigh Nash)
-
A Huevo (with The Trashmen) (track not available in Rhapsody)
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©Copyright 2009 Rolling Stone; Jann S. Wenner, editor and publisher
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