MOONSHINE MAVERICK MEN - MCCURDY BROTHERS
Self Released CD Album
Release Date – May 2022
Blaze Studios, Norfolk
Reviewed 06/06/2022 by Nick Constantine
Moonshine Maverick Men by The McCurdy Brothers is the second full length album to be released since their first mini album, the 6 track Moonshine Medicine Men, was released in 2019. Their first long player Moonshine Martian Men was released and reviewed by Slap That Bass in January 2021.
Blues, Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Swampbilly, Garage Punk, Awesomebilly, McCurdybilly
Jerry Lee McCurdy – all guitars, vocals
Adam McCurdy – drums, blues harp, backing vocals
Dylan Kirk – piano on ‘Brick’ and ‘Poker Night at Jeb's’
Recorded at Blaze Studios by Raoul, all instruments played by Jerry & Adam.
Except piano played by Dylan Kirk.
All tracks written by The McCurdy Brothers except ‘Brick’, ‘Gloria’ and ‘Son of a Bitch’
The McCurdy Brothers continue to go from strength to strength, never failing to impress, hoovering up new fans along the way and it looks like 2022 has been the busiest ever for them, with lots of live gigs, many at very prestigious venues and weekenders, including some absolutely rockin’ ones abroad! They are still one of the most exciting bands out there at the moment, the power and raw energy that is emanating from them could be converted to supply the electricity for a small housing estate!
For a two-piece band, they are a mash up of The White Stripes, The Black Keys, Flat Duo Jets, Royal Blood and the Dusk Brothers, add to that a dashing of The Kills and Tenacious D (for the tongue-in-cheekness) and more recently, His Lordship. All of which proves that they are well ahead of their game to have such inclusion and respect from the ‘Rockin’ Scene’, but also cannot be categorised into a particular genre within. Don’t forget their other influences such as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Albert Collins, Hot Boogie Chillun and The Delta Bombers. For me personally, I’d like to think that Seasick Steve is in there somewhere too!
They definitely step outside of the box with everything they do, from unexpected cover versions to boozy, bourbon-soaked, late night, dirty blues songs. Get me a beer AND a bourbon AND a shot! Just to keep up!
Wanna have a listen? Here’s what it’s like in black and white!
NASTY SURF
They kick off the album with a grungy, force-of-nature instrumental. Riding dangerous wild waves in the stormy, white foam tipped surf. A Tarantino movie sound mixed with 60’s garage.
BADGER STEW
Opening up like Ace of Spades, hurtling along with a thundering bass and showstopper midway through, this is fuzzy and frantic and sounds like it could be Lemmy’s favourite dish – because it is a thing! Here you go -
Ingredients:
• 1 badger
• 1 glass of pig’s blood
• 1 small glass of Armagnac
• 1 ginger root
• 1 bottle of dry, sparkling white wine
• 2 eggs
• 1 pot of crème fraîche
• salt and pepper
• 500g forest mushrooms OR chestnuts to accompany
• 100g butter
• oil
Instructions:
• Eviscerate and skin your badger and soak it in a fast-flowing river for at least 48 hours. This will help you to de-grease it more easily.
• Once the badger is de-greased, cut it into pieces and brown it in a frying pan with butter. When the pieces are golden and stiff, flambée with the Armagnac, season and add a grated soup spoon of ginger, fresh if possible.
• Pour over the wine, and simmer gently for at least two hours.
• At the end of the cooking time, mix the chopped badger liver (cooked beforehand in a little oil), the glass of blood, two egg yolks, a coffee-spoon of ginger and the crème fraîche, and pour into the cooking dish. Serve immediately.
• This dish goes well with wild mushrooms or chestnuts.
BRICK
An Albert Collins cover, featuring the incredible piano thumping skills of Dylan Kirk! A tremendous, banging, dirty, low down and wicked bluesy track! The Mucky, Dirty and Murky McCurdy Blues Brothers!
ROAD BEERS
Let’s all jump in the Hot Rod now! Put your foot down and guzzle those beers in the boot! What’s that? Oops, they’ve all gone! Stop off at the store and get MORE BEERS!
POKER NIGHT AT JEBS
After all those beers, they arrive at Jeb's! Oooooohh! What a bluesy beat! Deep down sleazy, with late night piano keys from Dylan, this is a song with lament and regret – too much to drink, far too many beers downed and so much money lost! A long track, to match the long night in Jeb's, I could listen to this until daylight breaks over the losers asleep on their cards on the poker table.
GLORIA
A cover version originally recorded by THEM, featuring Van Morrison. With a great thundering guitar and heavy beat, this has absolutely been McCurdyfied! While the original version is quite raw and bluesy, the McCurdy Brothers have ramped it up tenfold!
RIVER CARD
A ‘House of the Rising Sun’ style riff starts this off, leading into a very much Animals influenced track, but heavier, obviously! It oozes misery and disappointment after too many nights at Jeb's trying to make good his losses.
BACK ON TOP
Now much more upbeat, it sounds like he’s won some money back! With a raging confidence and literally shouting about his winnings, a fab steel guitar helps to triumphantly celebrate the apparent change of fortune.
TALL STORIES
So, did he really win? There's a celebratory feel at the beginning of this track which evolves into amazingly deep drumming with a great bass riff! There’s doubt in the mind of everyone, but who cares, with this fantastic blues stomper & bopper! DJs, you better pick up on this track, cos it makes you wanna get up and dance!
SON OF A BITCH
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats cover. When I first heard this track by this band, I was blown away and absolutely loved it! It's an absolute clap-your-hands, stomp-your-feet, jump around, go crazy, down your drink, link arms, dance in circles, sing along, revel-in-the-moment, all within the few minutes of the fab, hedonistic pleasure that this song gives! This has again been McCurdyfied, as only they can do – rock it heavier, faster, dirtier and greasier than anyone else – and it’s an absolute, soul filling, feel good factor song, as if you’re doing something naughty, but YOU JUST DON’T CARE!
McCurdybilly rules again! A booze-soaked, muddy boots, wild, sleazy, swampy, stompin’, thundery, stormy romp through rock n roll, rockabilly, blues, psychobilly, rhythm n blues, garage, heavy metal, punk and everything else related! Nuff said, just go and buy it! And their previous releases if you haven’t already!!
Buy the album from www.themccurdybrothers.com
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