Buzz Campbell & Hot Rod Lincoln – Runaway Girl
Buzzmusic
Too Drunk to Drive – You’re Gonna Lose – Runaway Girl – Walk Away – Joints Gonna Jump – Blue – Words by Heart – Invasion from Mars – Blue Moon Nights – 18 Miles from Memphis – Maybe – Queen of Hearts – Betty Page – Isabelle – I Only Go Out When it Rains
At last this is the newest album from Buzz Campbell, now member of Lee Rocker’s band, and Hot Rod Lincoln. And it was worth the wait. It’s a fine collection of mostly self penned songs. The title track, “Runaway Girl” sounds like a modern Buddy Holly tune, a bit like “Gina” by the Stray Cats. Another one inspired by the Kid from Lubbock is “Maybe”. I thought the recipe for that kind of ballad was lost the day Buddy’s plane crashed. You’ll also find plenty of rockin’ songs like “Too Drunk To Drive” with good lyrics (Gotta call my baby can’t drive my car / She’ll be mad cause I’m still at the bar / One more time and she said we’re though / But what the hell else am I suppose to do?) or the sci-fi themed “Invasion From Mars”. Their covers of Stray Cats’ “18 Miles To Memphis” and John Fogerty’s “Blue Moon Nights” are close to the originals, but when a tune is good, why change? “Joint Gonna Jump” brings a touch of jumpin’ jive / early rock’n’roll with horns and piano while country fans will be delighted by “Isabelle”. And if “Walk Away” and “Betty Page” are both built on the same melodic line, when the first one is given a honky-tonk treatment with piano, the second one sounds more like a rockin’ blues with a heavier guitar. A very inspired and varied album, and the cover ain’t bad either.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
