They say that life is unfair. Being a musician or in a band certainly increases your chances of experiencing inequality. All around you is music. Dull, unimaginative, pasteurised retreads of yesterday's hits. It has sold before so it will sell again. Just change the haircut and nobody will notice. If your music shows any trace of inspiration, any sign that you are inspired by your influences rather than just copying them, any hint that you might be doing it for reasons other than fame or fortune then you will be doomed to live in the shadows of success. The Bluesbunny mission - it can be called a mission when it also involves beer - is to shine our torch into the shadows and unearth some musical gems.
This 7 track release from the Sundown Sinners was a random purchase. Squeezed on to the end of an order, little did we know that we had accidentally acquired a little gem. Sure they have influences - blues, ska, rockabilly, gospel and even a touch of folk but it is all put together with imagination and style. The title track - "Hear that Train" - has the band rattle along nicely like a clean living version of the Meteors. "Tonight We'll Live the Dream" is rollicking road to nowhere song enhanced by Chris Morricone and Jane Divine's duelling vocals. The late Joe Strummer would surely have approved of "The Leaving Song". It starts slowly and builds into the kind of song that you sing at the end of a night on the town. As good as their self penned tracks are, the winner for us was the version of the traditional song "Down in the River to Pray". It is a song that we have heard many times before but dignity and passion in this version really made us believe in them.
Bluesbunny knows when he has heard something a bit special. It is not just verse, chorus, verse with the Sundown Sinners. They bring atmosphere to their songs. The lyrics have space to breathe as they clearly do not feel the need to throw in everything but the kitchen sink. Quite impressive really and worthy of our recommendation. Available from CD Baby.