Victrola Rock 'n' Roll:The Spanic Boys' Sunshine

As supergroups go, the Traveling Wilburys had their moment of greatness especially in how they dug back for the old sounds that came out of Victrolas, “singing into a can,” humming radio tubes, and the days when folk and blues melded into country and rock.

The Spanic Boys are not a supergroup, but they dig back into that same musical history book—acing the test while adding their own creativity in the essay portion. The father (Tom) and son (Ian) guitarists achieve such intense crunch that you feel at once as if you’re in the early rebellion of rock ‘n’ roll and also in the blistering heart of throwdown Americana AltCountry. Ah, the radio signals are all in line for perfect reception.

On Sunshine released earlier this year, “Secret” wails on a driving lurch, and “I Hear You Talking” spins on a cruising two-step. Brad Elvis (The Handcuffs, the Romantics) on drums crashes into the smashed up blues of “Sunshine” with its psychedelic, Byrds-styled guitar bridge.

The roadhouse rockabilly of “Bigger Fool Than Me” bumps along with these excellent little instrumental tag choruses. Then there’s the tilt-a-whirl, demolition derby of “I Didn’t Love You Anyway.” The ballad-kicked-up-a-notch of “When the Night Has Come” emerges from the same place as the Smithereens while also importing a little Tex Mex border hint of lime.

Thanks to Spanic Boys and Cinaps Records for the review CD.