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Dusty Chaps Honky Tonk Music/Domino Joe CD

S. Vlahos | Benicia, CA USA | 05/25/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw this band live in San Luis Obispo back in the 70's when I was in college. I've been a huge fan ever since. I have owned the Domino Joe vinyl album since then. But it has been very hard to find them on CD. This combination CD with TWO albums is a great find at a great price. I don't know whatever happened to this band, but now they will be with me forever."

At last available on CD

P. Buchan | Silver Spring, MD USA | 11/19/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Honky Tonk Music and Domino Joe are two of my favorite albums. The Dusty Chaps combine remarkable songwriting, terrific instrumentals, and Peter Gierlach's inimitable vocals. Honky Tonk Music, the earlier album, includes the band's only "hit" -- Don't haul bricks on 66.



It's successor, Domino Joe, is simply a wonderful album. It tells the story of "a honky tonk crawler, a whiskey drinker and a ballroom brawler" named Domino Joe. George Hawke creates Joe's world in 11 songs, populates it with unforgettable characters, and reminds you that no-account rounders are people, too. Though this album was released over 30 years ago, it always sounds fresh. I've turned a lot of people on to this album over the years with my two worn vinyl copies that inevitably skip -- to finally have this available on CD after so many years is really terrific."

Yes, Definitely a Desert Island Disk

Mark K. Mcdonough | Reston, VA USA | 09/28/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Domino Joe is an amazing achievement - a rock opera, or maybe a country/rock opera, beautifully produced, played and composed. I know that truly stellar works of art are not supposed to sink without a trace like this one did, but somehow it happened. If you are one of them city fellers who considers all songs about drinking, gambling, and pickup trucks to be corny and annoying, you won't like this. However, if you're a country fan, or a listener with open ears, this is a great piece of music. The story follows the ups and downs of an amusing rascal as he drinks, fights, and well you knows his way through the 1980s American Southwest. He seduces pretty maidens, he wins pots and loses them, and in the end (just like most operas) there's a certain amount of murder and mayhem.



There are three things that make the album really stand out. First, the songs are wonderful, with a very consistent voice - a combination of sly humor, compassion, and love of life. Second the arrangements are great - it's all pretty standard country/rock with horns, but it works. And finally, the playing and singing is none too shabby - the band is extremely tight.



I've always wondered what happened to these guys - probably working day jobs somewhere in Arizona. It took a lot of brains and talent to pull this thing together, and I'm sure that they've done ok in whatever they went on to.



The other album, "Honky Tonk Music" included on this CD release is pleasant country rock with a few standout tracks ("Heat Stroke" is one). It's a nice album, but the real attraction here is "Domino Joe."



It would be nice if Amazon hooked up with the company producing this re-issue, if only to avoid price-gouging by sellers. In the meantime, you might want to look around, if you know what I mean."