Boobie Browne & The Onions

This is, first and foremost, a guitar players’ record, for fans of highly animated guitar pickin’ — in all its forms. Clearly influenced by string benders ranging from Danny Gatton, Roy Buchanan, Albert Collins and early Ry Cooder, guitar aficionados will delight in this displaced Newfie’s delightful and slightly demented take on guitar playing. No genre is safe as country meets funk meets traditional bluegrass and blues meets rockabilly. The names of these tracks are as inventive as the arrangements themselves: "Liquid Lunch,” "Captain Beano” and "Toe Jam” to name a few. Chet Atkins would shed a tear for "Sweetpea,” if not for "East Village Afternoon”; "Tele Savalas” would surely swap his lollipop to hear Boobie’s note-bending breakdown. Of special note is the liltingly beautiful solo track, "Precious.” "Patrick Takes out Life Insurance” would make Jimmy Bryant rise up and take notice of Browne’s like-minded virtuosity. A favourite track, "Pink Chicken,” provides the definitive lesson in Boobie’s "chicken-pickin’” style — it positively rocks as it squawks. There are no vocals here and points to Mr. Browne for recognising that, if you don’t have good ones, you’re better off without them. The playing calibre more than compensates for anything you feel you’d be missing. And what you are not missing is obvious talent and an absolutely original approach to having a good time with your clothes on.