Bull by The Golden Manor Medicine Show

Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

These cats are from way over across the Atlantic in Hanwell, London, UK. Clearly, these guys did their homework because they got the Country, Southern Rock, Rockabilly thing down to a science. You would think these boys are from Texas or Oklahoma. The instrumentation is great. It is clear from the vibe of this album that these guys like to play live and they like to play loud. I can only imagine that their shows are a noisy, drunken, sweaty affair. My kind of evening. I can get that sense from listening. Until they venture across the pond, I will just have to speculate.

They really do a good job of mixing the tempos on the various tracks. The tracks are well balanced between up tempo numbers and slower, more reserved songs. One of the songs is about drinking which puts them in very good company. I guess in order to play Southern Rock/Americana you gotta sing at least one song per album about drinking. It is a rite of passage. These guys definitely “passed over” as evidenced by the song Last Order. I assume this equates with what we would term “last call” over here in America. The chorus is very clever:

“You won’t find your soul in the bottom of a glass,

You won’t find your soul in the bottom of a glass,

You won’t find your soul in the bottom of a glass,

But ya gotta start searchin’ somewhere.”

Those are words to live by. I guess I am gonna keep looking for a while. I Can’t Feel My Fingers Anymore is a boogie woogie number that is about playing guitar for so long that your fingers go numb. Another indication that their live shows must be electrifying. I assume that the song title is autobiographical. Too Tired To Care is a lovely ballad that has anthem qualities written all over it. You’ve Got To Go There (If You Want To Come Back) is the opening track and it is a 180 octane rockabilly ditty. It is over four minutes of pure energy. So, in summary this is a strong buy. Maybe if the folks over here show them enough support, they can come our way for a tour. I for one hope so! Go to Amazon for a preview and to buy this fine release.

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