KNUCKLEHEAD
- Eric Ambel (Lakeside Lounge Records)
There are a lot of things to admire about Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, not
the least of which is that he's a
genuine Renaissance man. As such, besides owning one of the coolest bars in
New York (The Lakeside 
Lounge),
producing bands at his own Cowboy Technical Services Studio, and touring as
lead guitarist of Steve Earle &
The Dukes, he's just released a devastating album of his own - Eric Ambel
"Knucklehead".
"K-Head" is a collection of 15 tracks done over 15 years or so that
had never seen the light of day before. Yes, it's
fucking loaded.
First a bit of history. Roscoe's credits include being in the original Blackhearts
with Joan Jett and guitarist of the Del Lords with ex-Dictator Scott Kempner.
After releasing a solo album in the late '80s, titled "Roscoe's Gang",
he launched the band of the
same name and started playing occasional gigs. In the early '90s, he left
the Del Lords and made Roscoe's Gang a full-time band. During his period I
rarely missed a gig. Yeah, New York City is a hike from Philly and that's
where most of the shows were, but it became almost a tradition. Many great
nights of rock and roll were delivered by Roscoe and his Gang. At their best
it was like Ragged Glory-era Neil meets Williamson-era Stooges, but original.
Not a copy of anything.
Many line-ups of The Gang followed and eventually Roscoe started playing out
with his old friends and songwriting partners Dan Baird and Terry Anderson
(along with secret weapon Keith Christopher) as The Yayhoos. In between all
that he produced many incredible records for other artists (Bottle Rockets,
World Famous Blue Jays, Blood Oranges, Mary Lee's Corvette et al), bought
a bar, and got the gig touring with Earle.
Meanwhile, back to Knucklehead. A lot of the ground mentioned above is covered
here in one form of another. Going back as far as the Del Lords (Shake Some
Action) and right up to the present in the form of an unrecorded Steve Earle
tune called "The Usual Time", "Knucklehead" shows that
whatever he does it all turns out "Roscoe". Yup, there is a distinctive
vibe
going on here.
For me the highlights are the tunes I have been waiting years to hear in a
proper setting: the truly amazing locked-in rocker "It'll Only End In
Tears", the barroom stomper "Feel So Good", the beautiful (but
manly) ballad "Does It Look That Bad" and the
easy-to-relate-to "Hole In My Head". These songs alone are enough
to make this worth seeking out. But wait,
there is a lot more.
All those many years ago Scott Kempner gave Roscoe a song to sing called "Judas
Kiss". It is probably the best song Kempner has ever written and Roscoe
has re-done it any number of different ways. Here we have the Yayhoos delivering
a softer, extended version of the tune. This version is wholeheartedly endorsed
by Dan Baird's mom who, after hearing JK live, tried to
get her kid to write (or sing) something like it. Dan's pretty balls to the
wall all the time, but Roscoe makes the ladies happy with this one. The ladies
will probably be less happy with "(Your Love) Knocked A Hole In My Head",
but that's why I say there
is a little something for everyone here!
The roots rock version of Tom Waits' Union Square sounds nothing like Tom
and everything like a party-tune. Works for me. And, after unsuccessfully
trying to get the Backsliders to turn a ballad called Psychic Friend into
a "ronka ronka" tune when he produced their album, he ronka-ized
it his self for his baby. This version proves they shoulda listened to him
in the first place!
One of the coolest things about this album is just how well it holds together.
When you have different musicians on every song and a fair number of covers
a record could start to sound a little all over the place. It is a testament
to the Roscoe Vibe that this album flows as if it was all recorded at once.
No matter how disparate the tunes - from Willie Nelson's "Always On My
Mind" to a rip-snortin' coke-rocker called "Garbagehead" -
"Knucklehead" holds together well as an ALBUM, not merely a collection
of songs.
If you are unfamiliar with Roscoe this is as good a place as any to start
checkin? it out. If you are already hip then
you know you need this. What are you waiting for? - Geoff
Ginsberg
