Based on a True Story
- Rock
- 2009
- Buy the CD
Reviewed by R. David Smola
()
"River of Justice" begins with a brief sermon from the good reverend Mojo Nixon (who also appears at the end of the track) before moving into a bluesy swing with a vampy lead vocal delivered by Kempner complete with a huge chorus led by Syd Straw. It’s plain old fun. "Cheyenne" features a different kind of singing from Kempner in which he delivers a straight ahead love song. Try to listen to this stuff without wanting to tap your toes or sing along – this track sounds as if it could have been released on a BoDeans record. "Poem of the River" is a song that Kempner claims to have cliffed from Alan Ginsberg, but it has a Springsteen-like feel in the emphasis on guitar and voice. Benatar steals the track with some terrific supplemental vocals and harmonies before it ends in a nice little chugging jam with keyboards and drums. "The Cool and the Crazy," which sounds just a bit like a sped-up "Gloria," features the album’s best guitar soloing and another set of memorable backing vocals turned in by Kim Shattuck and the late Karen Blankfield of the Pandoras.
Although this record is edgier in places, it is reminiscent of another ignored gem from around the same time, the Cruzados’ After Dark. Released one year apart (After Dark in 1987 and True Story in 1988) both records – and bands – should have been bigger, but changing tastes and trends conspired against these two terrific albums. Both contain excellent songwriting, wonderful production and great guest performances, but neither brought the bands the attention they deserved. Take a little of Springsteen’s earthiness, some of the Stray Cats’ energy, the charm of the BoDeans and the sleazy fun of the Georgia Satellites, and you have one hell of a record in Based on a True Story. Three cheers – and four and a half stars – to American Beat for giving this record a fabulous re-release.
You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for content updates. Also, sign up for our email list for weekly updates and check us out on Google+ as well.