Twangtown Paramours

Double Down on a Bad Thing

Inside Edge

This full-band effort from the three-time Kerrville Folk Finalists, The Twangtown Paramours, bears little resemblance to the husband-and-wife team’s two previous duo acoustic efforts. Double Down on a Bad Thing is rife with hooks, brassy R&B, blues, and the Beatlesque pop. The eclectic mix somehow works due to the invigorating vocals of MaryBeth Zamer and a full band with impressive resumes. The core unit is just a trio with Kramer and multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/producer Mike T. Lewis alongside renowned drummer Shawn Pelton of the Saturday Night Live Band. Augmenting this core is highly decorated keyboardist Dave Keyes, who plays on seven of the dozen tracks. Pianists Rave Tesar (Renaissance), Steve Conn (Sonny Landreth), and Ed Alstrom each play on a track as does organist Will Barrow. Horn players Dan Nigro (sax) and Vinnie Cutro (trumpet) from Smokey Joe’s Café grace a few tracks. As one might guess, this group is based in Music City (thus the name) even though some band members hail from other locales.

The album fires off with brass and a retro-sounding blast for the AM radio era as Zamer sings and seemingly sways to the surging beat of Pelton and band. The horn parts remind of those great Joe Tex singles. Simmering blues introduces the sultry “That’s What the Blues Are For,” where Lewis steps out with blistering electric leads bathed in Dave Keyes’ B3 and Wurlitzer. We next get yet a different sound with the rousing, gospel infused singalong “Talk About Peace,” with a sincere message but rather banal lyrics.

“Anyone But You” has Zamer and band in ballad mode, as she delivers her most nuanced vocal on the album, revealing the charm that made them such a successful folk act. Lewis’s electric lead is deliberate and completely in service to the song. “Coming Back” succeeds on the merits of its stop-you-in-your-tracks surprise chorus –is slower, a yearning vocal, chance to sit and rest and admire the song and the singing. ‘Comin’ Back’ and “I’m coming back, I’m coming back but I ain’t coming back to you.”  Again, Lewis and Keyes surge with vigorous support until Pelton brings it to an explosive climax. ‘Whoa Nellie’ just pales in comparison while “Love Is a Stranger,” is another retro one that works better, buoyed by the keyboards of Steve Conn on piano and Keyes on B3. Zamer’s final verse shows the full range of her gorgeous pipes.

The poppy ‘’Some Other Day,” the unusual guitar lines notwithstanding, misses but opens up some fresh territory as Lewis takes the lead on the piano lounge sounding “I Miss Who I Thought You Were.”  “Sincerely Yours No More” is one of two tracks without keyboards, as Mark Deffenbaugh takes a brief, cutting lap steel turn. “Alright Again’” pairs Zamer just with Keyes who supports on piano and organ, another showcase for her extensive vocal range, ending with uplift. Oh, it’s not over. The bonus track, “Gingerbread Man” was issued as a holiday single, a tune that also features the horns and barrelhouse piano from Ed Alstrom. Lewis describes it as “40% nice and 60% naughty.” It’s just fun and apparently garnered considerable airplay during the season.

This wide potpourri of sound, a hodge-podge at times, offers strong gems that totally compensate for the few misses. It’s a bold undertaking to unveil so many styles on one recording so kudos to Lewis and the band for that. Mike T. Lewis says, “Influences of the Beatles and Memphis blues are prominent, but those sounds are re-interpreted and combined to form something new. This is the kind of record we’ve wanted to make for a long time, and we plan to follow it up with live band touring.” It should make for an enticing live act.

• Jim Hynes

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