Del-Lords’ third LP finds balance between muscle and polish

The third album from Scott Kempner’s post-Dictators rock ‘n’ roll band retained Neil Geraldo as producer, but dispensed with a good deal of the ‘80s production touches he’d brought to the group’s previous album, Johnny Comes Marching Home. The sound is more balanced here, with backing vocals that aren’t over-processed and drums that punch hard without being slathered in studio gloss. The synergy the band developed amongst themselves in early rehearsals and weekly live gigs was now synched with a producer who could capture their muscular sound on tape, and the results are superb.

Kempner launches the album with the hyperkinetic vocal of “Crawl in Bed,” propelled by wicked, nearly confrontational rhythm guitar riffs and stinging electric leads, and anchored by punchy bass and drums. Guitarist Eric Ambel sings two leads, the wide swinging blues “A Lover’s Prayer” and the rolling pop-rock “Judas Kiss,” and college radio favorite Mojo Nixon provides a fire-and-brimstone introduction for “River of Justice.” Pat Benetar, Syd Straw and Kim Shattuck add backing vocals on several tracks, and the band stretches out a couple of tunes with excellent instrumental interplay, including the hypnotic “Poem of the River” and garage-psych “The Cool and the Crazy.”

As on the band’s first two albums, Kempner mixes up songs of mind and body, finding external inspiration in the philosophy of Woody Guthrie, the poetry of Allen Ginsburg, and news reports of Reagan’s crumbling America; but he also looks inward and discovers dreams of pastoral escape, torn romances, and even a bit of free-form Friday night raving. American Beat’s CD reissue adds new liner note from Kemper and five bonus tracks that include alternate takes of “Lover’s Prayer” and “Cheyenne,” and a pair of lead vocals from bassist Manny Caiati that didn’t make the original LP. With album number three the band finally got their rock ‘n’ roll dream on tape. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

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Del-Lords second LP gets ‘80s production gloss

After three albums playing rhythm guitar for the Dictators, Scott Kempner put together the Del-Lords in 1982. Their 1984 debut, Frontier Days, was a bracing shot of straight rock ‘n’ roll in a year that found such music mostly being steamrolled by MTV. This 1986 follow-up brought Neil Geraldo on board as producer, and he brought some of the ‘80s sounds he created on albums with his wife, Pat Benetar. The guitar harmonics, big drums and backing vocals are slicker and more badly dated than Lou Whitney’s work on the debut album, but the band’s rock ‘n’ roll heart is still plain to hear.

As on the debut Kempner had more on his mind than cars and girls, though he considered those as well, and he seems to be more up-beat than on the previous album. The opening “Heaven” declares belief in the here and now, and the thumping “St. Jake” (the only track with guitarist Eric Ambel singing lead vocal) provides a rousing ode to the magical powers of radio. Kempner celebrates the basic elements of rock ‘n’ roll, bashing out steroidal rockabilly on “True Love” and galloping rock on “Everlovin’.” When he drops into his lower register, such as with “Love Lies Dying,” he sounds a bit like Iggy Pop.

The social context of Johnny Comes Marching Home includes the churning instrumental “Drug Deal” and the distraught “Against My Will” suggests all was not morning-in-America in 1986. American Beat’s CD reissue adds hilarious new liner notes from Kempner, and five bonus tracks that include three new titles (including the Jan & Dean styled “Some Summer” and creepy, country-tinged “Obsessed with Mary”) and alternate takes of “St. Jake” and “True Love.” Geraldo’s production is louder and punchier than Whitney’s work on the debut, but the ‘80s studio sound detracts from an otherwise excellent set of songs and performances. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

Scott Kempner’s MySpace Page

1984 debut from Scott Kempner’s post-Dictators rock band

After propelling The Dictators with his guitar for three albums, Scott “Top Ten” Kempner struck out on his own, forming the Del-Lords with ex-Blackhearts guitarist Eric Ambel, future Cracker drummer Frank Funaro, and bassist Manny Caitati for this 1984 debut. Kempner’s sole co-write for the Dictators (“What It Is” from Bloodbrothers) gave only a hint of what he’d offer as the Del-Lords’ primary songwriter. Intact from his days with the Dictators was the straightforward punch of electric guitar rock, but where the Dictators played fast and loud staccato rhythms that presaged punk rock, the Del-Lords struck a more classic rock ‘n’ roll vibe, with rockabilly and mid-60s guitar rock replacing the Dictators’ primal approach.

The Dictators performed songs of pop culture and adolescent joys (TV, wrestling, girls, science fiction), but the just-turned-30 Kempner had more serious things to get off his chest. The Dictators lack of commercial success left Kempner well placed to write about the struggles of the underclass. Three years into the Reagan administration, Kempner had become a musical activist, and though the Del-Lords didn’t muster the confrontational spittle of the era’s hardcore bands, neither did they shy away from the disastrous effects of the dry spout of trickle down economics. Kempner’s songs include office workers augmenting meager incomes with illicit nighttime jobs, mercenaries prowling Central American, and tough times stretching from Brooklyn to Beirut. The album’s opener is a revitalized take on the depression era “How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live,” ramped up to a rocker and fleshed out with original verses.

But Kempner wasn’t completely bound to social commentary, as the joyous “I Play the Drums” anticipates Ben Vaughn’s equally contented “Rhythm Guitar” by several years. There are also straightforward rock ‘n’ roll songs of love and broken hearts, including the blue highway of “Feel Like Going Home.” Kempner describes in this reissue’s new liner notes how the Del-Lords peered with the Blasters, Jason & The Scorchers and Los Lobos, yet each grew from a unique root. The Del-Lords stuck most closely to the basic four-piece rock ‘n’ roll vibe, forsaking country, norteno or retro flavors. You could add the Flamin’ Groovies (whose “Shake Some Action” descending guitar riff is given a nod on “Double Life”) to the list of peers, but the Del-Lords didn’t carry as strong a British Invasion vibe.

Producer Lou Whitney (Morells, Skeletons) keeps to the band’s “two guitars, bass and drums, just the way God intended,” though engineer Jon Smith didn’t get the sonic weight Neil Geraldo and Gordon Fordyce captured on the band’s third album, Based on a True Story. Kempner and Ambel prove a dynamic guitar duo, and the rhythm section seems to live in the pocket. This is all the more bracing when you consider that basic rock ‘n’ roll wasn’t burning up the charts in 1984. American Beat’s CD reissue adds five bonus tracks, including four additional tunes highlighted by the passionate “Love on Fire,” and an edgier alternate take of “Shame on You.” This is a rockin’ album from a year not generally noted for its basic rock ‘n’ roll. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

Scott Kempner’s MySpace Page