Search - Powerthud :: Wide

Great debut from members of world's most overlooked band

J. Stevenson | San Diego, CA | 11/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jerry Raney has been a fixture on the San Diego music scene since time immemorial, and in 1983 he formed the roots-rock outfit the Beat Farmers with buddy Joey Harris and a beer swillin', hard-livin' madman, the late great Country Dick Montana. Now Raney and Harris have reunited to form Powerthud, and although the name may not knock you flat, the music will. Not too far from the Farmers' barrelhouse style, Wide adds touches of Anglophilia, with echoes of Stones bash and Kinks pop. Aided by the rock-steady rythm section of brothers Joel and Jeff Kmak on drums and bass respectively, Powewrthud tears into a batch of rockers and ballads that overflow with soul and heart. The album jumps off the starting block with "Wrong Thing," which is anything but- the song steams down the track like a train with its engine stoked to the max. "Rockin' All Over" does just that, a kick-butt number that demonstrates keyboardist Mighty Joe Longa's dexterity at the 88's and Raney's wild and elastic fretwork. But for all the movin' and a groovin' on these cuts, it's the quieter moments that shine through: "Nights In A Dream" recalls the plantive tunesmithery of Ronnie Lane and "Hammer And Anvil" comes down like a blue Sunday morning. After decades livin' the down'n'dirty life of rock'n'roll, Raney and his cohorts have come up with an uncut gem.

Joey Harris and Jerry Raney are maybe this country's greatest singer/songwriter/guitar players that nobody's ever heard of. The Beat Farmers were one the most entertaining, rocking, outrageous live bands ever. Their Powerthud album is consistant Harris/Raney stuff, big bluesy rockers, dreamy ballads, catchy melodies with Zepplinesque guitars. Head on a Stick shines and should be on the play list of current alt-rock radio. Great stuff."