'Ello, 'Ello, what's all this then? Tom Waits emigrates to London and changes his name to Tom Mansi? Maybe. Taking a listen to "Holly" from Tom Mansi & the Icebreakers did make us thing that. However, it was more of an affectionate influence than some sort of transatlantic parody.
"Holly" is performed with style. Cigarette smoke filled late night jazz club style that is, and there is that bit of a growl to Tom Mansi's voice to give things a suitably world weary edge. It is the sort of voice that should be singing a song about a woman. Note that. Not some teenage girl but a real woman. Perhaps past her prime and living on the glories of a past that everyone else has forgotten, she lives the life she used to have. The band's buoyant performance gives this story hope and quite rightly so as hope is probably all that keeps her going.
On the flipside is "Call My Name". This is more than a bit quirky but a wickedly tight performance makes your body move to this one. Again quintessentially cool but with a seriously funky edge, you just know that these boys dress better than you and get all the classy women. Still, getting the dregs is better than getting a cheese and mushroom pizza on the way home alone. Hey lady, I went to school with the drummer…
Cool and groovy, these two tracks went down well with the Bluesbunny. If you have taste and style like us then they will go down well with you too.