This side project from Jim Heath (a.k.a. Reverend Horton Heat) is an instrumental celebration of vintage barroom trios, and it stinks like a bean-and-cheese burrito fart in an overcrowded church. Sometimes, genre homages work (the swing-drunk Brian Setzer Orchestra); other times, they fail miserably (the Supersuckers’ attempt at honky-tonk). Reverend Organdrum travels the second path. Paying affectionate tribute to American roots music, Heath handcuffs his patented psychobilly-fueled guitar histrionics to a Hammond B-3 organ played by Asleep At The Wheel ivory-tickler Tim Alexander, but the experiment falls limp. The choice of cover material is exceptional, as Reverend Organdrum embraces the blues, swing, soul, jazz, surf and ’60s TV/movie themes. From Booker T. & The MG’s (“Time Is Tight”) and Bill Doggett (“Honky Tonk”) to John Barry (“James Bond Theme”) and Nelson Riddle (“Theme To Route 66”), Heath pushes all the hipster- savvy buttons. Regrettably, the play-by-numbers approach (think Guitar Hero by true musicians) raises nary a confrontational hackle. Why listen to this martini-sipping mimicry when you can seek out the hooch-chugging originals? [www.yeproc.com]
—Ron Bally
