Truly Lover Trio - Dance Reviews

Dance - From Mod Radio UK

http://www.modradiouk.com

Another band to grab my attention recently is, Truly Lover Trio, a 50`s/60`s Rock n Roll trio from the USA, who've sent me their newly released album "Dance" for review after a few messages passed back and forth on Myspace and a couple of appearances on the now popular Myspace Highlight Shows programmed by yours truly, I am really glad they gave me a chance to enjoy even more of their tunes.

They are described as, "something between an electric and contemporary Roy Orbison with a 1960s Rock and Roll punch and contemporary feel you won't easily forget!", sounds like my ears are in for a treat!

The band was formed way back in 1993 with extensive tours in Europe, throughout the USA & South America and in 2005, they appeared on US TV after spending 3 weeks touring Europe with their blend of 1960`s rock and pop with a modern feel. the current line up includes, Speedie Carlucci (ex Fuzztones) on Bass, Jeff Gerow on Drums & Marcel Riesco on Guitar & Vocals. And they have just retuned from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland where they were honoured to play at the Roy Orbison Celebration Week as part of the Annual American Masters Series.

Twinkletone Records have produced this 13 track retro rockabilly-fest, 11 album tracks and two bonus numbers starting off with title track, "Dance", a surefire Roy Orbison influenced number that reminds me of the Mavericks, the harmonica work is just excellent with a bluesy theme, great start, well worth a second spin, "Spring Fever", pure early 60`s Rock n Roll, time to look out yer old Beetlecrushers lads!, "Find A Fool", another Maverick-esque rocker, "Cool Cutie Cute", more Big O influenced vocals and beat!, you'd swear he was actually there!, "Twinkle Toes", an Orbison written track with excellent electric guitared Rhythm & Blues, "Pretending", anyone for a line dance, yeeehaa!, "Secrets In The Wind", Marcel Riesco`s vocals are unbelievably so close to Roy Orbison`s its uncanny but certainly just as enjoyable in this swooning rocker and it ain`t no different in the swinging, "Baby Come On", "Bullet To My Heart", is a sweeping Surf Rocker while, "Un Tonto Mas", is a 2 minute Spanish Rock n Roll masterpiece, "She", reminds me of a slow ballad version of "Cryin" by the big O himself! one of them lights out tunes so you soak up the atmosphere of the lyrics and the beat, great stuff from the Trio! flowing onto an alternative take of title track, "Dance", dead cert for a future Myspace highlight this one! Outstanding! The harmonica does it for me! following is unfortunately the last track, a demo version of "Baby Come On", with Riesco in Elvis Mode!

40 odd minutes of pure old fashioned rock n roll, ladies & gentlemen, that's excellent retro ear candy for us all! This has got to be the most unique sound I've had the pleasure to review this year! Imagine Roy Orbison backed by The Mavericks with a touch of Stray Cats thrown in for good measure, I'd get a quiff tomorrow if I'd had the hair!

The CD is available from both websites above and you can taste a little bit of the Truly Lover Sound for yourself on their myspace page as well as that listen out for the guys on Mod Radio UK too! Catch them live if you can, there's plans for a tour of the east coast of the USA as well as a return to Europe in 2007, you'll get more details from the sites above.

"The exciting sounds will turn you on" apparently!..........

Reviewed By Buster

Dance from Jumping From 6 to 6 http://www.jumpingfrom6to6.com/tltreviews.htm

Twinkletone Records – TR 2006-111

Dance - Spring Fever - Find a Fool - Cool Cutie Cute - Twinkle Toes - Pretending - Secrets in the Wind - Baby Come On - Bullet to my Heart - Un Tonto Mas – She - Dance - Baby Come On

Truly Lover Trio is going further into the style that made songs like “Blueberry Eyes”, “King Of Hearts” and “Sleepless Nights” highlights of Hey Little Girl, his previous album. Actually “Secret In The Wind” reminds “Sleepless Night. The band is now playing full-time with an electric bass (John Carlucci : The Hexxers and previously the Fuzztones) and left aside the slap bass and the rockabilly songs you could find in their set previously.

The production is really well done with notably a special work on the guitar with various sounds and the use of an acoustic rhythm guitar too.

It’s a mix between Beatles influenced pop songs (“Dance” and its fine harmonica), 60's rock'n'roll and of course a good dose of Roy Orbison for the inspiration (listen to “Cool Cutie Cute”). The Big “O” is also present here with the sole cover “Twinkle Toes. Marcel Riesco can really craft some killer pop songs like “Spring Fever” or “Pretending” and his voice is really made for that.

Every rule has its exception of course and “Bullet To My Heart” is a welcome exception and an excellent wild rocker with mean guitar. It must probably be one of the highlights of his live set. There’s some bonus too. Two old songs, one from 1999 in Spanish and one from 2002 from the same session that gives “Sleepless Nights”, “Lonely Blue Drams” and “King Of Hearts”. It’s a nice ballad and it’s justice to find it here. The other two bonus tracks are alternative take of “Dance” and the demo of “Baby Come On” with just the voice and a acoustic guitar. But wait ! You have an hidden track : an alternate take of “Pretending”.

A good and original second album that benefits of Riesco’s maturity, experience and a tight rhythm section.

Fred "Virgil" Turgis