J.B. BEVERLEY & THE WAYWARD DRIFTERS —WATCH AMERICA ROLL BY (Hell Train Records)

[Maurice Hope]

www.jbbeverley.com
www.helltrainrecords.com
www.myspace.com/jbbbeverleyampthewaydrifters
Coming undiluted straight from the bottle (‘an organic road record that may as well have soil falling off it’s roots’), J.B Beverley and his band, the Wayward Drifters produce a sound that takes me back years! Since JB’s lead vocals possess a great likeness to one-time 1970s top country music earner Roy Clark, and then there are the pickers who, in donating huge slices of dobro, steel guitar, banjo, double bass etc craft rockabilly (‘Drug Train’), truckin’, country and as on the opening cut ‘Interstate Blues’ plus the likes of ‘They’ll Only Play My Music (When I’m Dead)’ and the banjo/double bass fuelled ‘Thank You For Giving Me The Blues’ bluegrass music.
With a fresh, but unashamed dedication to the roots of the music Beverley has something you rarely come across —for it is only once in a blue moon would one in today’s climate expect to hear a man capable of performing music of this quality.
As for the songs, there are some gems. While ‘I Don’t Give A Damn’ contains hints of yesteryear such being the liberal use of ‘Brother’ Oswald style Dobro. On kicking up a little dust ‘Gonna Ride A Train’ contains oodles of lead guitar, banjo, bass and fiddle as it rattles the rails like the best train songs. Talking of train songs he gains much of his inspiration for the likes from his heroes Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash. Like with present day purveyors Wayne ‘The Train’ Hancock, Dale Watson and Hank 111 –all of whom he’s shared shows the Virginian born and raised JB and his band are dedicated to taking the ‘music’ to another generation.
Of a sombre mode ‘End of The Road‘ reminds me of David Olney as he reminisces on some dark, hard days where he ‘has lost his heart on love’ as he speaks of life on the road (as a hobo). But he is soon up and flying along well-greased rails with hot-to-go cuts ‘Don’t Need No One’, bright and breezy travel song ‘Watch America Roll By’ and on pulling on influences of honky honk country ‘Walked Across Texas’ —that like with the album in general it produces entertainment of the highest quality.
A new name to add to your diary, now –since this is one of the best albums by a new act I have comes across in years!
Maurice Hope