Kind of funky with a classic rock feel. I enjoyed the melody, it was catchy and the bassline really drove this along well. Reminded me of Tom Petty the more I listened. The guitar work was great.

torch junkies

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6646240

Genre Country: Rockabilly

Summary Opinion

This is first review of ‘torch junkies’, so I am struggling with the discovery of who they are and listening to all the music. Not many pieces up, but I do have high hopes for these ‘half-dead’ late musical bloomers. Well who they are is a mystery other than a band with at least one member (Jeremy Gripp) named. I say ‘late musical bloomers’ because the bio notes seem to indicate that they are older types working on improving their recording technique. Good news, if I look at the dates for uploads and this current song ‘mercedes cadillac’, I see a nice jump in production values.

Jeremy is ‘duffycat’ and I have seen his name often in the forums. How can I fail to like a member with the beautiful yawning cat avatar considering my own avartarish(?) inclinations?

Some of the other stuff on the page is a bit rough, but I do have a big favorite recorded with just a vocal, an acoustic guitar and a creaky chair. This is really a brilliant song and well delivered if you take the time to listen and understand how well it is written and the unique way it describes a more common situation:

cassiopeia
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6254697

‘mercedes cadillac’ itself is well slotted as Rockabilly. The lead voice is an excellent rasper reminiscent of a bit of 70’s folk-country from The Band (in a way). A biting sense of humor pervades the song and much of the other ‘torch junkies’ pieces. More like an exhibition of some real wit, which can be the death of a song, but works well for these guys.

Production

Production is elusive to define. Some of us may think this requires the best of equipment and a pristine touch that produces digitally pristine packages, but not true. Digital can certainly mean sterile. While ‘mercedes cadillac’ has a deliberate rough edged, live feel, it is as well produced as you might want for this form.

Magically, everything is clear without losing any of the analog warmth normally sacrificed to digital productions. Well this is analog and an excellent example of why analog will probably never die. In fact, I have read a lot recently about producers doing the pieces in the box but mixing out to analog effects and recorders.

Nice parts of the production are the drums kept at bay, the warm acoustic guitar sound and the absolutely fine balance that lets the vocal come right through. The vocal is wonderfully clear so that no lyric sheet is ever required (I love that as much as Steve Gilmore does).

Music

The music is bubbles along with great musicality. The acoustic guitars sing with a mixture of the rhythm and sort of a slinky stringed leading line.

The vocal bends with as much flexibility as the guitar lead. The rockabilly effect is enhanced by the raspy quality and the slide between notes.

The lyrics present a clear and witty song of the naïve fatal attraction the first time we are wowed by whatever can knock our socks off. The analogies run to parallels between the love for a sleek wild woman and the fantasy car.

The whole life of the excessive is covered with links to sex, self abasement and sin in all its glorious forms. There is one fun double-line after another that is infectious in its humor and which warms us to the song constantly. This is ‘good old boy’ madness masking real creativity and an understanding of the demented human heart.

The lyric is very much a high point of most of the ‘torch junkies’ songs. Do not ignore!

Lyrics

Mercedes Cadillac

I’m fifteen years old and I
Quit going to school last week
Something I saw turned me
Full grown man overnight
First the window rattled and
The floorboards started to creak
I looked outside and saw her
Stepping out into the light

Took me less than one hot minute
To commit my first mortal sin
I shook myself so hard and fast
I thought I had a heart attack
And to think this wasted life of
Throwing dice and drinking gin
Began the first time I laid eyes on

Mercedes Cadillac
She's long and lean
Sleek and black
There’s never been a woman
Like Mercedes Cadillac

Pa told me if I think about her too much
I might end up going blind
Ma said “forget about her
That girl just ain’t our kind”
Elanor the girl next door told me
Not to come around no more
My priest says only an exorcist
Can save me from Satan’s whore

She's built for speed
With a touch of class
God must of broke the mold
The day he made
Mercedes Cadillac

(BREAK)

I’ve been waiting
On the curb all week
Hoping that she'll come back
I think I lost my heart to
Mercedes Cadillac

I got my old suitcase down
And I’m starting to pack
Been a month gone by since
The night I saw her drive away
I’ll hit each town on the highway
And search in every nook and crack
I guess I’ll keep on searching
Even if it takes until my dying day

Mister someday
I’m gonna find her
Then I’m gonna bring her back
On that day I’ll make
An honest woman of
Mercedes Cadillac
_________________
Larry Ludwick

I'm listening to "Mercedes Cadillac", and it has the qualities of a good rock song. You remind me quite much of one of my favorite records of all time: "What A Bloody Long Day It's Been" by Ashton, Gardner, Dyke & Co. That was a one time British band/concept. Just like you, they had a rough style, good lyrics, nice melodies and the same instrumentation. I think your vocals have been recorded a little too much rough, but the style of your music is great. The melody starts to stick to my mind already

Love the title/concept, great story. Warm, swinging melody, reminded me of Tom Petty. I hope you will record it again, better this time. Sounds like one of those songs that becomes a classic. I think the instrumentation needs something... can't put my finger on it... make it a little fuller. I don't know if you perform live, but this would be a crowd pleaser, to an appropriate audience.

The Band meets Tom Waits when they were young.You guys should touring with Bob Weir.Genuine post hippie, Dr.Hook, Marlboro, Budweiser country rock.Damn solid.

You guys are genuine, no pretense, nothing fake. I got a couple of good laughs at your profile page, the title of your CD, I want one, $0 is my price. Hey come on, you're not that old. I know some rockers older than you ( and I don't mean has-beens like Sammy Hagar etc.!). There are tons of people out there that still love that Lou Reed, Dylan style. ( I love the Replacements too but I was suprised you mentioned them)

Analog has a place. I put away my fancy schmancy BOSE headphones to check your song. Can music still be good without all the studio polish and VST plugins? Can people enjoy music even with a little static and buzz in the background? Scratches on an old LP? Just because it sounds like an old AM radio, does that mean we have to ditch it? Can the gutsy emotion come through even if the meter clips once in a while and the mikes are too far away? Can you tell it's a good song with some genuine people having a good time even though the E string on the guitar and the singer are a little out of tune? Yes, a lot of us can and you guys are the proof.

Keep tracking guys!

Sitting around the camp fire with guitars ,bottles of wine , cigarettes , and some chronic feeling all Grateful Dead style.I can see Bob Weir and Jerry hangin' back behind the boulders at Red Rock sharing a fatty with Jerry knodding off.Dig the doodling free form old school seventies flow like an American Beauty in full bloom.

DC

Some tasty Guitar Rock from Torch Junkies, a song called Just One Dream Away. And I say tasty because how could it not be from a band called "Torch Junkies"? A really grabby opening, with a growly guitar doubled up after a bar with some cool harmonic stuff going on, very bluesy, drums kick in nicely at :30...all very right, gets the proper feel going from the first second.
I really like the freedom of the quirky vocals; when they kick in, I'm listening to The Band on Cripple Creek, and I'm diggin' it- nice key change transitions. I really like the vibe.

Hear The Track Here

Another new name to me, this time from Soundclick. No idea where they are from but it's fairly obvious they have a Rolling Stones fixation, not only is there a cover of Sister Morphine on their page but even Immobilized By Love was inspired by them. As the band states 'tried to do one like the Stones.....didn't work.' Not surprising really, after all nothing wrong with aiming high but then there's the fekkin ridiculous ;) Kudos for trying though because as an area to mine, it's got huge potential still - as the Stones themselves are constantly proving. As you know, I am that rock animal so you can imagine I just gobbled this right up.

(Burp) Mmm spicy.

There appears to be two guys playing on this; Jeremy and Ken, between them putting together everything you hear. There is no doubting that what you are hearing are some accomplished musicians rocking out, and I'm glad I was able to spot that because otherwise I would have thrown this out within the first listen. If I were a betting man, I would have to say that this sounds suspiciously like a 'straight off the board' mix and a bloody awful one at that. The kind of mix that TV always applies to rock to make it sound as rough as possible. There is constant sound tripping over sound throughout the track, which is also recorded with lots of treble making it verge right on the edge of painful. This is particularly so in the lead vocal which even so manage to get drowned out by the backing track.

Shambolic would be the word, and I guess the Stones count there too...

I imagine that Immobilied By Love would sound absolutely stunning with a more polished approach but hey we all have to work within our limits. If I were judging this one the music alone then I have no doubt that Torch Junkies are the real deal - it's a great shame their presented sound sucks a big one, big time. The band are classed as Garage Rock and I guess that would definitely apply, although it seems to me that the band are doing themselves a dreadful disservice by releasing something so rough and unformed. Tremendous potential, of that I am absolutely certain, but hopefully encased in a more solid mix than this pitiful creature. To be sure, I went and listened to all the tracks on their page and the problem is evident everywhere; these are some excellent musicians who are crying out for a producer who knows whats what. Or a computer nut who fiddles with sound, which is much the same thing these days.

Excellent track severly marred by a really bad sound.

Just downloaded 'Immobilized By Love'. I really liked the song.....especially the weird production.....I really didn't encounter something like this before...heavy bathroom reverb on vocals it are the highlight of this song. The solo section in between is just amazing....the occasional harmonica and whistles in between sounds more natural.

Love the lazy, 'just get me a beer and smokes' vibe. I can hear a lot of Stones influence, and maybe some Grateful Dead too. You guys have the vibe down pat (I have a soft spot for anything with slide guitars anyway).

Cheers,

A truly unique 'back woods' rockabilly syle/sound.

'Immobilized By Love' demonstrates real artistic talent with the electric guitar stlye and vocal harmonies
I was touched by the 'Rolling Stones' cover 'Sister Morphine', not sure how you got the guitar effect but it got to me.
A unique artistic style and drive here is definitly worth investing in

think this song has something about it. A great slide guitar groove, very bluesy and very old styled rock n roll. It has a very unique sound....A groovy little number.

I like the music, it reminds me of early Blind Melon . I think you're on to a winner.

“self inflicted wound”. love the lyrics. so true...rings very close to my own experiences. good music too.

Nice music ... I like the rawness of the recordings. Gives it more depth in my humble opinion.-      

ONES I LIKED THE MOST WERE ”SISTER MORPHINE” IT HAD A NICE MELLOW VIBE AND I CAN RELATE TO THE LYRICS. I REALLY LIKED “JAILFACE”. THE DRUMS CAUGHT ME IN THE OPENING, I HAVE INFLUECNES FROM ALL GENRES; I COULD DIG THIS, ACTUALLY. I LIKE THE DOPEY KINDA SINGING-VERY GOOD WITH EMOTION, PERFECTION IN MY EYES. “LITTLE MISS LUCY” WAS COOL TOO. I ALWAYS APPRECIATE HOW ANOTHER ARTIST FROM ANOTHER GENRE CAN RECOGNIZE TALENT. IT IS A TRUE GIFT. YOU GOT A GOOD SOUND… A CLASSIC 70'S SOUND ON SOME OF EM, LIKE “JAILFACE” AND I LIKE THAT CLASSIC FEEL. A TRULY GOLDEN ERA FOR ROCK MUSIC.

1Q #1 Goon