CHECK OUT WWW.MYSPACE.COM/REDMOUTHBAND TO LISTEN TO TRACKS FROM THE UPCOMING ALBUM
Read the Blues-Finland.com review by Andres Roots. And then read the Finnish version.
Then read the americanaUK review by David Cowling.
Video
AUGUST 11 , 2007 FLORENCE HARBOR AND MARINA - FLORENCE, AL- 9PM
AUGUST 18 , 2007 OLD TOWN TAVERN (LONGSHIPS ALBUM BENEFIT) - SHEFFIELD, AL - 9PM
AUGUST 30, 2007 SHOT IN THE DARK CAFÉ - TUSCON, AZ- 9PM
AUGUST 31, 2007 RED ROOM AND GRILL - TUSCON, AZ- 9PM
SEPTEMBER 1, 2007 SUNDANCES - PRESCOTT, AZ- 9PM
BLUESINLONDON.COM (ERIC WRITES A COLUMN)
From Americana U.K.
Eric Gebhardt “Blues $1.49lb” (Independent 2005) Eric Gebhardt left his band The Studdogs citing their sleazy- blues-rock as a little too restrictive for his expanding tastes, so he set out to go it alone. ‘Blues $1.49lb’ takes blues music as its starting point, but shows no fear in branching out, country laments (Olgita) sit side by side with Jerry Lee style rock 'n' roll ('Ride Me Out') and touch on most points around or in between. It is all delivered in a rough & ready manner that reminds me of Tom Waits Rain Dogs, albeit at its most cohesive. The slovenly approach to arrangements & mixing I consider an endearing feature of this record, but the fact that Gebhardt is no Tom Waits when it comes to song writing may just limit the appeal of Blues ‘$1.49’ to all but a hardened few. PG
From Blues In London.com
Eric 'Red Mouth' Gebhardt - Blues $1.49 lb
(Independent)
Reviewed by Ricardo, Oct 2005
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Identifiably adhering to bluesey, country, folky, forms but happy to
accept (actively embrace) a loose interpretation of the detail, this is
not an album for purists of any stripe but a joyfully chaotic reworking of the
common sources.
Eric's from Florence, Alabama and describes what he does as 'southern based
music'. His set 'usually consists of house rockin' delta blues with a
number of broken-hearted, drunken country love ballads and even some deep south
gospel tunes from time to time...'
The overall sound is enjoyably raggedy. Think Lou Reed and Raindogs era Waits
fighting in a border bar with 80's country-rockers Green on Red. Meanwhile
tex-mex indie darlings Calexico are arguing with Terry Allen about which ZZ Top
tracks to play on the jukebox. Only bluesier, and with more banjo.
The playing is sound throughout - Eric's chops, on guitar, banjo, lap steel,
etc. are diverse, perverse, rich and soulful. This is made clear with the great
slide part on 'Sad Songs', but he's not afraid of the 'rubbish' guitar solo
either - magnificent on 'Bring it on Down' (hats off too, for the wonky drumming
there). Brian Ferris ads some more outstanding guitar on a couple of tracks -
the echoey 'billy twang of 'Put Your Foot Down' and and lazy waltz of 'The Day I
Quit Trying'.
(On the subject of waltzes, Eric obviously failed to heed the warning of
Cakes 'Sad Songs & Waltzes' ('aren't selling this year')... There are several on
this CD, none of them especially cheery, but they're among the best. Well done
for keeping the waltz spirit alive! Leadbelly will be pleased.)
There are some good songs too - 'Forget About You', 'Olgita', 'Don't Shoot The
Moon' and 'The Day I quit Trying' all manage to avoid cliche while tapping right
into the vein. The small combo numbers seem to fit the material more comfortably
than the bar rockers, but I suspect that, live, the bar rockers would er...
rock.
If you like your blues with a bit of a diverse mix you're going to like this.
It's a great blend of rootsy americana styles pulled together without pandering
to 'authenticity', and played with a wit and verve that honour it's antecedents
whilst managing a contemporary freshness. One of the albums of the year round at
my house.
P.S. He's a bloody nice bloke too. When I queried the
astoundingly cheap price he said 'I've been a poor rock'n'roll musician for
a long time myself and have been to shows that I enjoyed very much but literally
did not have enough money to buy a record and i'm trying to cater to that'.
Can't say fairer than that. It's probably going to cost about a fiver with P&P
from America. That's a whole lot of record for a tiny amount of cash...
From
Woodchuck Guitars
What if Neil Young had
recorded a sequel to "Tonight's the Night", using a cheerful Tom Waits & a blue
Willie Nelson as the featured vocalists? We may never know; but with "Blues
$1.49 lb", Eric Gebhardt seems most eager to find out.
If you think of the blues in the terms of the latest B.B. King Xmas album, this
record is not for you. Furthermore, if in the beginning of the 21st century you
still hold SRV's '80s recordings to be the future of the blues, you shall be
sorely disappointed in this release. But if the blues for you is first &
foremost a feeling, step right in!
15 songs, 14 written by Eric, 1 by Eric & Whitney Evans. Mr. Eric Gebhardt of
Florence, Alabama sings in a number of voices and plays a variety of guitars,
lap steel, banjo, harmonica, upright bass, & drums. Additionally, there's Brian
Farris on occasional lead guitar, Brian Conner & Ashley Meat Simmons on upright
bass, Eric Brown on keys & harmonica, & John Littrell, Darryl Shelton, Joey
Mitchell, Jeremy Cole, & Brian Rogers on drums. That's a whole lotta drums.
Acoustic ramblings, country waltzes, hard-rocking electric rhythm & blues--all
played with melancholy abandon and merry disregard for the right notes, all
intent on conveying a feeling, all successful, some brilliant. Well, maybe I
could have used a few more up-tempo boogies, but then again, how many blues
artists put out quality waltzes these days?
Even upon repeated listening, the track that never fails to strike me with its
perfect Les-Claypool-goes-country groove is "Flowers". That just goes to show
that no matter how much some folks might protest, blues music does not exist in
a vacuum and has not stopped evolving; it is just as open to 'outside'
influences today as it was 100 years ago. This fine slice of Southern music is
proof positive that you can get great blues without going anywhere near what the
late great Gatemouth Brown used to call the mock image of the genre. Hallelujah!
Andres Roots, Tartu, Estonia
for Woodchuck Guitars