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Oriphiel · 12-30-2014, 01:20 PM

I know what you're thinking. "Enough with the Western stuff! Get back to the music!" Well, i'm happy to oblige. Here's a fun band that I stumbled upon while I was away...

On Tar Beach

The Deadbeats! While some fans of The Cramps may recognize their brief Psychobilly stablemates, very few people know anything about this obscure band. Formed by singer Suzy May sometime in the late seventies/early eighties, they were determined to become apart of the growing Rockabilly Revival scene. With the exception of Suzy May, who was an American, the band was comprised of English chaps with a taste for psycho-americana. With Mark Robertson on drums, Kevin Green on bass, and Tony Berrington playing lead guitar, they put out just one LP before breaking up in the mid-eighties. Over the years they have faded into almost complete obscurity, but interest in the band has grown significantly due to the fantastic Big Beat/Ace Records reissuing their LP in CD format. Their website (The Deadbeats - On Tar Beach - Ace Records) was the main source of information for this entry, and I have to admit that I wouldn't have known where to start without it! Now, slick back your hair and step on the gas, 'cause it's time for some greaser rock!

1. "Crazy When I Hear That Beat" - Kicking things off, this one has a great Psychobilly sound to it with the haunting guitar playing. Suzy's frantic singing and Wanda Jackson-esque hiccuping are perfect for the overall tone of the song! This one isn't far off from what The Cramps were putting out at the same time. It has a few references in it, like the lines "Be-bop-a-lu-la" (Gene Vincent's song of the same name) and "He was just seventeen, and you know what I mean" (The Beatles "I Saw Her Standing There"), and part of the guitar solo has the main line from "Rhapsody in Blue" stuck in there!

Here's a short music video movie that they made! It contains the songs "Crazy When I Hear That Beat", "Fall in Love Tonite", and "Swan Lake".

2. "New Girl" - Time for a change of pace, with a slow song that has more of an eighties-pop feeling to it than the previous track. It's alright, but lacks the inspiration and energy that the first song had, leaving it rather unremarkable.

3. "Don't Tell Joe" - With fuzz-guitar work and electric organs, this one has a really fun Garage Rock sound to it! Reminds me of The Starlets take on the classic "You Don't Love Me", way back in Girls in the Garage. The vocal patterns and the main guitar riff are a bit similar. I love it!

4. "Fall in Love Tonite" - Another wild and frantic number with twangy guitars and heavy drumming, the Rockabilly tone of the first song returns. The smooth vocals and the bassist's rock 'n rollin' back beat are the perfect complement, and everything combines together to make a very strong and memorable addition to the album!

Suzy May!

5. "Johnny Reb" - This strange track takes a stab at being a slow and haunting Rockabilly crawler. However, it quickly turns into an eighties-pop number for the chorus. The piano work is a nice change of sound. This one is an odd song, with twists and turns of tone, and a few strange choices (like when "Dixie Land" is randomly played by the guitarist in the background).

6. "Bobby" - Do you like songs that sound like they're ripped right out of a Spaghetti Western? How about the sound of running-horse-drum-rolls and whips cracking? Then you'll absolutely love this fun and wild number! Personally, I loved the electric organ that popped up every now and then.

7. "Delilah" - Another slow number, this one stays firmly in Rockabilly territory with it's classy-yet-rough sound. Everyone is in top form here, with the bassist in particular nailing the old school rock 'n roll sound (and the guitarist has a great solo, which is always a nice addition to a song).

The Deadbeats!

8. "When You Dance" - Another number influenced by sixties Garage Rock, this one sees the return of the electric organ, and has a vocal harmonic break here and there! Reminds me of the early Bangles, which is definitely a good thing.

9. "Swan Lake" - A very frantic instrumental, with The Deadbeats' signature Rockabilly sound giving it a nice edge. Definitely one of their most solid songs, and a great song for any fan of Psychobilly!

10. "Sexy Sadie" - No, this has nothing to do with The Beatle's "Sexy Sadie". Finishing off the album, this one is a Psychobilly foot stomper with a lot of attitude, and stands out as a very fresh and exciting track!

And now our foray into the Rockabilly Revival has come to an end. I have to say, this is definitely one of the better Psychobilly albums that I've heard, and it really manages to capture your interest right from the start. Still, while the experimentation manages to mix things up and keep the album interesting (With the Garage Rock-y "When You Dance" and "Don't Tell Joe", as well as off-beat tracks like "Bobby" and "Delilah"), it also produced a few songs (Like "New Girl" and "Johnny Reb") that were simply out of place and uninspired compared to the rest. Despite it's faults, it's high-points and successes are soaked in old-world glitz and energy, and I very highly recommend this album to all lovers of Rockabilly/Psychobilly!

12-30-2014, 01:20 PM	#52 (permalink)
Oriphiel Ask me how! Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: The States Posts: 5,355	Rockabilly I know what you're thinking. "Enough with the Western stuff! Get back to the music!" Well, i'm happy to oblige. Here's a fun band that I stumbled upon while I was away... On Tar Beach The Deadbeats! While some fans of The Cramps may recognize their brief Psychobilly stablemates, very few people know anything about this obscure band. Formed by singer Suzy May sometime in the late seventies/early eighties, they were determined to become apart of the growing Rockabilly Revival scene. With the exception of Suzy May, who was an American, the band was comprised of English chaps with a taste for psycho-americana. With Mark Robertson on drums, Kevin Green on bass, and Tony Berrington playing lead guitar, they put out just one LP before breaking up in the mid-eighties. Over the years they have faded into almost complete obscurity, but interest in the band has grown significantly due to the fantastic Big Beat/Ace Records reissuing their LP in CD format. Their website (The Deadbeats - On Tar Beach - Ace Records) was the main source of information for this entry, and I have to admit that I wouldn't have known where to start without it! Now, slick back your hair and step on the gas, 'cause it's time for some greaser rock! 1. "Crazy When I Hear That Beat" - Kicking things off, this one has a great Psychobilly sound to it with the haunting guitar playing. Suzy's frantic singing and Wanda Jackson-esque hiccuping are perfect for the overall tone of the song! This one isn't far off from what The Cramps were putting out at the same time. It has a few references in it, like the lines "Be-bop-a-lu-la" (Gene Vincent's song of the same name) and "He was just seventeen, and you know what I mean" (The Beatles "I Saw Her Standing There"), and part of the guitar solo has the main line from "Rhapsody in Blue" stuck in there! Here's a short music video movie that they made! It contains the songs "Crazy When I Hear That Beat", "Fall in Love Tonite", and "Swan Lake". 2. "New Girl" - Time for a change of pace, with a slow song that has more of an eighties-pop feeling to it than the previous track. It's alright, but lacks the inspiration and energy that the first song had, leaving it rather unremarkable. 3. "Don't Tell Joe" - With fuzz-guitar work and electric organs, this one has a really fun Garage Rock sound to it! Reminds me of The Starlets take on the classic "You Don't Love Me", way back in Girls in the Garage. The vocal patterns and the main guitar riff are a bit similar. I love it! 4. "Fall in Love Tonite" - Another wild and frantic number with twangy guitars and heavy drumming, the Rockabilly tone of the first song returns. The smooth vocals and the bassist's rock 'n rollin' back beat are the perfect complement, and everything combines together to make a very strong and memorable addition to the album! Suzy May! 5. "Johnny Reb" - This strange track takes a stab at being a slow and haunting Rockabilly crawler. However, it quickly turns into an eighties-pop number for the chorus. The piano work is a nice change of sound. This one is an odd song, with twists and turns of tone, and a few strange choices (like when "Dixie Land" is randomly played by the guitarist in the background). 6. "Bobby" - Do you like songs that sound like they're ripped right out of a Spaghetti Western? How about the sound of running-horse-drum-rolls and whips cracking? Then you'll absolutely love this fun and wild number! Personally, I loved the electric organ that popped up every now and then. 7. "Delilah" - Another slow number, this one stays firmly in Rockabilly territory with it's classy-yet-rough sound. Everyone is in top form here, with the bassist in particular nailing the old school rock 'n roll sound (and the guitarist has a great solo, which is always a nice addition to a song). The Deadbeats! 8. "When You Dance" - Another number influenced by sixties Garage Rock, this one sees the return of the electric organ, and has a vocal harmonic break here and there! Reminds me of the early Bangles, which is definitely a good thing. 9. "Swan Lake" - A very frantic instrumental, with The Deadbeats' signature Rockabilly sound giving it a nice edge. Definitely one of their most solid songs, and a great song for any fan of Psychobilly! 10. "Sexy Sadie" - No, this has nothing to do with The Beatle's "Sexy Sadie". Finishing off the album, this one is a Psychobilly foot stomper with a lot of attitude, and stands out as a very fresh and exciting track! And now our foray into the Rockabilly Revival has come to an end. I have to say, this is definitely one of the better Psychobilly albums that I've heard, and it really manages to capture your interest right from the start. Still, while the experimentation manages to mix things up and keep the album interesting (With the Garage Rock-y "When You Dance" and "Don't Tell Joe", as well as off-beat tracks like "Bobby" and "Delilah"), it also produced a few songs (Like "New Girl" and "Johnny Reb") that were simply out of place and uninspired compared to the rest. Despite it's faults, it's high-points and successes are soaked in old-world glitz and energy, and I very highly recommend this album to all lovers of Rockabilly/Psychobilly! Last edited by Oriphiel; 12-30-2014 at 03:57 PM.