[Rewind Reviews are reviews of albums over a year old I haven’t heard until now.]
Bluegrass songs about giant monsters, Land of the Lost, and B-movies? I’m there.
Possum Kingdom Ramblers (Buddy Finethy – dobro, Jas Ingram – vocals, ukulele, saw, harmonic, jaw harp, and kazoo, Bambi Lynn – vocals, mandolin, guitar, and washboard, Timothy Price – vocals, banjo, and guitar, Ricky Zero – vocals and bass) have put out a fun debut of bluegrass that doesn’t take itself too seriously, although the musicianship is seriously good.
“When I First Found You” is a fun love song, and their cover of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla” is outstanding (especially when you consider Robert Scott Field, the actor who played Android M-11 in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, does the Japanese lyrics in the song).
After a cute song about ice cream (“Sweet Ice Cream”), the band drops a cover of the Land of the Lost theme on you (with smoking hot banjo from Price). “That Cat” is a loving ode to a stray with great vocals from the whole crew. Ingram’s kazoo work on Bar-B-Que” instantly makes you grin.
Since two of the band’s members are also the duo Radio Cult (Lynn and Zero), it’s fun to hear them cover a Radio Cult song – “Saturday Midnight Double Feature,” a great tribute to late night horror hosts, cult films, and movies with a Theremin in the score.
“A Piece of Possum Pie” is a toe-tapping finale with great guitar work and a Johnny Cash song-worthy harmonica solo from Ingram.
This is a good bluegrass record that sounds like it was as much to make as it is to hear.
Keep your mind open.
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