Album 12’ vinyl, single “Gonna Go Bop’ 7” vinyl available from El Toro Records store and on the digital platform Spotify. Released : August 2023. Recorded at L'Amor Mio Non Muore Produced by The Same Old Shoes. Mastered by Giovanni Versari-La Maesta Published by El Toro Records. Forli,Italy,2023. Graphic artwork on cover- Made by El Toro Records Koolsville Design, using a photo by our good friend Steve Prati
Web and Social Media Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesameoldshoes/?hl=it
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist... Reviewed by Terry Mead 23/09/2023 The Same Old Shoes are from Forli, Italy. They play a genre of Rockabilly/Rockin' Country/Rock and Roll with the roots very much in 1950s American scene, having experienced the vibes on a road trip to Memphis & Nashville. Band Line-Up: Dario “Darry” Magnani, Vocals and rhythm guitar; Davide Biserna, Electric guitar and backing vocals; Mattia Montesi, Double bass and backing vocals; Mattia Flamigni, Drums.
Turn Out The Lights contains ten tracks, nine are covers and an original self-penned track Gonna Go Bop which is also a single. So, without further ado let’s get on and review the album track by track:
Gonna Go Bop- Off we go with an original self-penned track to start us off, the intro has traits of Johnny Powers Long Blonde Hair starting intro before peeling off into a catchy guitar riff. This is undoubtedly a lively bopper that has a terrific beat, an injection of energy and some slap that resounds at the right moment, a sure-fire hit that is also available on 7’ vinyl.
Leave That Junk Alone – Old Johnny Cash tune which was recorded in 1957 and not released until 1984 on the Sun Years album, as opposed to J.C’S slow melodramatic composition this version has pace and is a souped-up jiving beat affair. To add to this the musical arrangement the boys have made have certainly given it an injection of new life.
Hold Me Tight- A Tennessee Jim composition from 1957, this track is quality with a slightly slower beat and a more Rockabilly feel but still maintaining the raw sound of Tennessee Jim.
I Got A Hole In My Pocket- “Little’ Jimmy Dickens 1958 single that has certainly stood the test of time on the scene, here we have another sound rendition of that original with Dario on vocals producing the Dickens voice to a high degree.
Bopping Wig Wam Willie- Ray Scott’s classic bopper played here with real authentic style both musically and vocally producing a time warped cover that will have you bopping. Love the guitar licks with the combination of classy drumming and constant slapping of the bass.
Black Smoke And Blue Tears- So we flip over to the B-side to start us off with an awesome Clyde Arnold tune from 1961 telling the story of a prisoner boarding a train on his way to prison for shooting a gambler and leaving his lover with blue tears in his eyes. The sound of a train whistle starts us off on journey with a pounding beat and some clever surf sounding guitar sounds. This version is full on compared to Clyde Arnold's original with an energetic feel.
Kiss-A-Me-Baby – Navel Felts tune from 1957, all the ingredients are kept here: the cha cha sound and the tempo change midway, a very high standard cover to say the least.
Good Gosh Gal – A 1961 recording by Phil Beasley & Charley Brown with The Rhythm Country Boys, another authentic cover from the boys on this old country tune which certainly has the Nashville flavour to it right from the start. The beat will have your feet tapping to this fine production.
How Low Can You Feel- No introduction needed for this Ray Campi bottle bashing on the tabletop tune is always one to get the audience involved and they certainly will when the Same Old Shoes play it live. It's yet another great cover that produces all the stops and breaks that Ray Campi’s original does with a musically fine adaptation on guitar, slap bass and hard work on the skins.
Stella Got A Fella- The Fireflies single from 1959, and this being the last track on the album will transform right back there with a sound that the Fireflies produced then including the backing calls which sound like dogs yelling out. Mighty fine choice to end with this period song.
So, summarising this album will make you want to turn the LP over start again and again its that good. There is some fine working of these old covers and the self-penned first track is unique in itself. I feel these boys who are already making a name for themselves on the European circuit will carry on going places they have an energetic feel which is portrayed in their musical adaptations.
YouTube video Gonna Go Bop: https://youtu.be/Ix_rcOYJJ2Y?si=vXQ2wvBuhjBzTlVP LP Track Listing:
Side A: 1. Gonna Go Bop - D. Magnani (original lyrics and music) 2. Leave That Junk Alone - J. Cash (original arrangements on the Johnny Cash demo tape) 3. Hold Me Tight (J. McDonald, Tennessee Jim cover) 4. I Got A Hole In My Pocket (Bryant, Little Jimmy Dickens cover) 5. Bopping Wig Wam Willie (R. Scott, Ray Scott cover) Side B: 6. Black Smoke And Blue Tears (C. Arnold, Clyde Arnold cover) 7. Kiss a me baby (R. L. Cloud, Narvel Felts cover) 8. Good Gosh Gal (C. A. Dougherty, Phil Beasley and Charley Brown cover) 9. How Low Can You Feel (J. Skinner, Ray Campi cover) 10. Stella Got A Fella (Nelson, Granahan, Reynolds, Fireflies cover)
LP Time Length: Side A 00:11:57:00 Side B 00:12:41:00 Tot 00:24:38:00
Bio: ( In their own words) The story of the band started in a pub, during a summer night, when Mattia Flamigni (drums) bought Dario Magnani (main vocals and rhythm guitar) a drink, asking him if he was interested in playing and exploring the origins of rock. They made a deal. After a brief search, the line-up was completed with Davide Biserna (electric guitar and backing vocals) and Filippo Lombardi (double bass and backing vocals). It was 2012, in the small town of Forlì, Italy. Before getting together, all the members played different styles of rock in different local ensembles. They already knew each other, some of them from high school, some hanging out and playing in the same bars and clubs. The band life strengthened their friendship and musical connection, digging into the past and different faces of rock through the classics from the 70s, 60s and 50s, they started rehearsing together every week and writing original songs. At the end of their university days, in 2013, Dario and Mattia took a coast-to-coast road trip through the States. Touched by the vibes and the music culture of Memphis and Nashville, when they got back the band focused on recovering the sound, the energy and the looks of the 50s American rockabilly. At the same time, this style influenced the group thanks to the rock and roll revival legacy rooted in its hometown since the 80s, when Forlì was the scene of the first international rockabilly meeting in Italy. In 2015 the band started having its first gigs on the Italian rocking scene. Getting their own image, repertoire and musical identity, their name, promoted on social networks and by word of mouth, soon became international. They released their debut album in 2016 (“Real Gone Sessions”, El Toro Records) and a second one in 2018 (“Let’s Go Mess Around”, El Toro Records). Over the years the band refined its sound with excursions into the Blues, the Country and the Rock and Roll, arriving at an original reworking of Rockin' Country. In 2021, during the Covid period, Filippo left the band and a close friend of the crew, Mattia Montesi, a rocker from Ravenna who just moved in Forlì, replaced him. Although they never went professional (Dario and Mattia F. are high school teachers, Davide is a nurse and Mattia M. is a violin maker), today the band is well known and appreciated in the European Rock and Roll scene, often hitting the stages of many festivals and weekenders of all Europe, standing out for its catchy sound, melodic vocal harmonies and pumping and danceable rhythms. In the summer of 2023, their latest album (“Turn Out The Lights”, El Toro Records) was released.
Discography: Vinyl 7" 33 rpm EP: Real Gone Sessions, El Toro Records, 2016 CD Album: Real Gone Sessions, El Toro Records, 2016 Vinyl 7" 45 rpm Single: Sweet Rockin Mama, El Toro Records, 2018 CD and Vinyl 12" 33 rpm LP Album: Let's Go Mess Around, El Toro Records, 2018 Vinyl 7" 45 rpm Single: Gonna Go Bop, El Toro Records, 2023 Vinyl 12" 33 rpm LP Album: Turn Out The Lights, El Toro Records, 2023
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