The John Henrys
Sweet As The Grain
visit the band's website
also available on cd baby
This Canadian band opens this disc with the title song, “Sweet As The Grain,” and it is eerie how much the band’s sound harkens back to Poco or the Gram Parsons led Byrds that it almost uncanny. The rest of the disc falls into place though this first cut really stands out. It doesn’t change much from there and this is not a knock because there are very few bands that have the jangly guitars or the harmonies to make it work. This is a 5-man group and four of them lay claim to vocals which accounts for the great harmonies and it has filtered down from friends that have seen the group that it is Rey Sabatin Jr. that does most of the lead vocal work. One kind of confusing item is in the notes, after each song there is a name or perhaps two in the place generally filled by the writer of the songs, yet further down it says all songs written and arranged by The John Henrys? That aside the disc is a solid example of what might be called that Southern California Country Rock sound. The music is infectious and is gong to have you tapping your toes and maybe getting out the old boots and grabbing a partner and doing the Two Step. There are a couple of songs that seem to get away from the L.A. sound and head a little further east to Bakersfield and that means honky-tonk music a la Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Either style they do it well and will have you up and dancing with their infectious brand of music.
Flash forward a huge hunk of time and on my desk sent was this disc by Jivin’ Gene and though the name rang some bells no picture came through with any clarity. Then it was in the disc player and memories came pouring in, this was Jivin’ Gene and the Jokers of “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.!” WOW! And the voice is still the same, no rasp of whiskey or cigarettes or any other vocal strain. It almost felt like there had been a time capsule around his voice. Though he gave up singing for almost 2 decades, he never stopped writing songs and what we have here is the new songs and an all-star band that recreates in an organic way the music of those 50s and 60s records. Those wonderful songs that polished up the belt buckles, and drove the chaperones at those dances so many of us attended crazy as they walked around and forced their arms between us and made us separate (at least until they moved on to the next couple). This aggregation is anchored by Gene’s voice, Warren Storm on drums and rubboard (he is Gene’s contemporary) and Ken Marvel on all kinds of keyboards, from piano to Wurlitzer Piano to accordion and more. A fantastic horn section with great arrangements by Doug Deane backs it all up and puts the signature to the music. This is a great one that is well worth searching out. Do look at Floyd’s Record Shop in Ville Platte LA or call 1 800 738- 8668.