Gin Palace Jesters

(Rhythm Bomb) Honkytonk Fools is the debut release from the Chicago based, Gin Palace Jesters. Making up the band are members Dave Sisson (lead guitar, vocals), Casey Stockdon (doghouse bass, vocals), Rick Murawski (drums, vocals), Buddy Carter (pedal steel, vocals) and Ken Mottet (acoustic rhythm guitar, vocals). The GPJ's sound harkens back to country music's golden age of the 50's and they combine the sounds classic Nashville and Texas honky tonk with Western Swing, rockabilly and country boogie. However, they aren't a retro-cover band who retreads old classics. They boast 3 songwriters in Dave, Buddy and Ken who wrote all of the albums 15 songs. Each member contributes instrumentally and vocally, they swap off lead vocals and often deliver 3 and 4 part harmony.

Honkytonk Fools was recorded at different studios in Chicago and Nashville, with Sean Mencher (of the rockabilly outfit High Noon) producing the Nashville sessions (as well as contributing some lead on "Lover Not A Fighter"). Among others who drop by to help out are Rosie Flores and Jason Carter (The Del McCoury Band).

The album opens with the upbeat "Nail Driver Style," a country hill-boogie tune that encourages people to make the best of life. With a touch of swing, the band creatively approaches the theme of cheatin' in "Pomade On My Pillow" by infusing a bit of off the wall humor into the sad tale of a man who discovers his wife's been unfaithful. They delve into swing territory again on "Lover Not A Fighter," the tongue-in-cheek tale of a chicken-hearted Romeo. GPJ delivers some clever and varied shuffles. "Drink One For Me" is a cleverly written song that finds a fellow 'dumpee' of the same woman, comforting another after stumbling across him attempting to nurse his broken heart by drowning his sorrows. "Pick Up The Pieces" drips with heartache beneath the surface of trying to put up a brave front despite the pain. In classic barroom weeper style, "Queen Of Broken Hearts" oozes with a man's regret over his realization that there's no one but himself to blame for losing the woman he loves, while "Pink Champagne & A Chevy Caprice" wistfully reflects on the memories of a lost love.

The band offers up a pair of honky tonkers with "Up, Down, Over & Through," the story of betrayal- a man being left at the altar by his bride-to-be, and "I've Drunk My Troubles Away," about a man contently drownin' life's sorrows. The title track, "Honkytonk Fool" is a honkabilly two-stepper that finds a guy unhappily haunting the honky tonks to try to keep himself from pining away alone after being dumped. "Gone" is another honkabilly tale of lost love, while "Nashville Penny" offers up an upbeat, optimistic belief that with luck and some determination, success can happen.

"18 Days & 18 Wheels" is an outstanding tale of a truck driver who's thoughts keep turning to the woman waiting for him at home and features some of the album's most gorgeous harmony. GPJ offer up something a little different with the infectious "Love, Love, Love" that has a 50's rock & roll feel to it, combining a slightly Latin beat with a Buddy Holly groove. Another album highlight is the dark, slinky rockabilly "Johnny Come Lately," that warns about the dangers of a love 'em and leave 'em beauty.

With Honkytonk Fool, the Gin Palace Jesters deliver a nice variety of original songs that range from novelty tunes to heartache barroom weepers, and a little bit of just about everything in-between, that's steeped in 50's era tradition. What sets them apart from being 'just another' retro-style band is that while on the one hand they take their music very seriously, on the other, they infuse plenty of humor and 'winks' into their sharp and cleverly written songs that give it a modern edge. All the band's members are crack musicians and strong lead vocalists, but it's their stellar harmony vocals that's their real ace in the hole.

Standout Tracks: "Nail Driver Style," "Pomade On My Pillow," "Drink One For Me," "Honkytonk Fool," "Love, Love, Love," "Johnny Come Lately," "Queen Of Broken Hearts," "18 Days & 18 Wheels," "I've Drunk All My Troubles Away"

On The Net: www.ginpalacejesters.com