Asleep At The Wheel

For those of you who enjoy the anarchy-hillbilly-rock-truckdrivin-country-jazz-boogie depravity of Commander Cody, "Asleep At The Wheel" is about as close as you can get without tuning in to the Ozone Boys themselves. Just like the Lost Planet Airpersons, the group consists of two guitars, bass, drums, piano, pedal steel and fiddle, The two groups have shared gigs and traveled around together, and the Commander's own fiddler, Andy Stein, even appears on several cuts on this album.

Even though similarities exist, the Wheel's music is no carbon copy of the Commander's. The first few times I heard them I was a bit disappointed because they never let loose with any really hard rockers. Also, most of the slow, sad tunes they perform lack the tightness which can keep them from wandering a bit too aimlessly through the tears. On the other hand, they are able to play country swing, tunes without that hard-edged, outta-my-way fucker tension that is heard on so many of Cody's Cuts. This is particularly pleasant to hear on such tunes as "Choo Choo Ch' Boogie," where the tunes are catchy, the words funny, the arrangements loose and relaxed and the overall effect is mellow is not exactly laid back. Another choice cut is the Wheel's countrified version of Count Basie's "Jumpin' At The Woodside," complete with pedal steel break.

The group really finds its groove on those tunes where they can work in the swing idiom ("Take Me Right Back To The Track, Jack!") Unfortunately, their musicianship and their voices (except for guitarist Ray Benson's lack the intensity to make the tearjerker tunes very moving. 

All in all, this album is a good package of entertainment, with mostly good honest music by a talented and improving group. A definite must for all you closet geeks and hillbillies.

-Ed Reckford