Walter Clevenger & the Dairy Kings - Full Tilt and Swing (CD)

All Music Guide

For some reason, Costa Mesa, CA's Clevenger hasn't released an LP in four years, since 1999's Love Songs to Myself, but he remains true to the blueprint of his first three (including the cassetteonly debut, 1995's PoPgOeStHeMuSiC, which was reprised and rerecorded for 1997's The Man With the XRay Eyes). He still sounds like Nick Lowe backed by Teenage Fan Club if the Scottish band listened more to Tom Petty than Big Star. You could easily imagine Petty crooning a track like "Supermarket Checkout Queen or "Love Don't Mean Anything"; and like Petty, he works in a Roger McGuinn inspired Rickenbacker ringing guitar now and then. But he also has a lot of country roots, more freely indulged in songs such as "Not Gonna Bend," which pick up at that same Buck Owensfed place The Beatles flirted with on For Sale (AKA Beatles '65). The production is way too lightweight tidy, but the man doesn't lack for tuneful songs if you don't' mind something a lot more radiofriendly, and if you pine for the da...ys of Rockpile and their take on Fats Domino and Buddy Holly. (www.walterclevenger.com) - Jack Rabid , All Music Guide Read more Less