Evan Johns
and the Hillbilly Soul Surfers

Rocking & Stomping/Rock & Roll

Evan Johns and the Hillbilly Soul Surfers: "Moontan".
Big Cypress CD 1019
Release date: November 23, 2001
Evan Johns: vocals, guitar, mandolin
Grant Harvey: bass
Sherman LeRoi: guitar, pedal steel, guitarorgan
Eric Jerde: drums

This is a surprisingly fresh and modern approach to several authentic musical styles.
The clear and solid wall of sound contains a mix of elements from fifties and sixties music like rock & roll, rockabilly, country & western, hillbilly, soul, blues, punk and surf-instrumental.

Although the album is based on music from the past, the sound is quite up-to-date.
Highlights for me are the three instrumentals.
Surf Don't Crawl and Acid Wave are great Link Wray/Ventures-like guitar and organ dominated pieces of A-Go-Go-music, while Shootin' The Merle is a perfect reminiscing of the Merle Travis sound.
Among my favourite vocal tracks are the full stereo sounding hillbilly tracks Love Thang and All Your Cheatin'.
Rantin' N' Ravin' is a raw punkrocker.
All 12 tracks are written by - the relatively unknown - Evan Johns, who is best known as leader of Evan Johns & The H-Bombs.
Evan appeared on more than 70 records from various artists and groups since 1977.
(www.bigcypressrecords.com)

Rocking & Stomping/Rock & Roll