| from Black Cat Rockabilly Page www.rockabilly.nl
When Crossfire released their first EP "Rock 'n' Roll Power" two years ago, I wrote this little review on my website: "This is what your could call a joint venture. Thomas Gahn, aka Tom Powder, frontman of the Black Knights, joined forces with Stefan Jägermyr and Rolf Anderson, both from the already legendary band Snakebite. What came out is a trio named Crossfire invading Europe with their Rock 'n' Roll Power, and they produced a heck of of a Teddy Boy EP which goes directly into my jukebox. All four tracks were written by Thomas, and we already know he can deliver. Starting off with the title song "Rock 'n' Roll Power", the Teddy Boy trio thunders into my living room loud and angry. Just a tip Tom, it's "Crazy" with a Zzzzz, not "Craisy". Well, actually I gotten to like Tom's Swedish accent... "Forty-Rod Whiskey" keeps on stomping with that steady rock 'n' roll beat and, what do we have here, "Ed's Getting Married". So, the old Ted finally got hooked up huh? If you don't know who Neighbour Ed is, check out "Worn Out Beetle Crushers" by The Black Knights. Last song on this 45rpm vinyl EP is "Wild Little Kitten", Teddy Boy rock, Terrible Tom style. Are we gonna get a full CD of this outfit? Let's hope so..." We now write the year 2005 and the waiting is finally over. Crossfire have recorded eight more tracks, and together with the afore mentioned EP tracks, it has resulted in this shiny platter titled "Hail Of Bullets". For the new recordings on this album Thomas and Rolf are joined by Jesper Jonsson on bass. Jesper started out with the "Rockin' Bandits" when he was only 15 years of age, he joined Snakebite in 2001 and also played with Wild Bob Burgos' Houserockers. I've been a Black Knights fan for a long long time, Thomas has been active on the rock 'n' roll scene for over 25 years, and he still writes the best Ted songs. Proof of this is the opener of this album "Poison" which will rock your socks off when Terrible Tom hits his guitar strings as if his life depended on it, and Rolf's hard knocks together with Jesper's basslines are keeping a steady rhythm. This song gave me the goose bumps first time I played it, and every next time after that. Hey, we're all Teddy Boys here, and we all love the orginal British rock 'n' roll sound, if you agree listen to Crossfire's stomping rendition of the beautiful Billy Fury song "Don't Knock Upon My Door". Keeping up the rhythm, the band switches easily to a more sensitive song titled "In The Heart", before pounding on into Groovey Joe Poovey's "Stanger Than Fiction". Tom's own "Southern Belle" takes you back to Dixie with a loud Yeehaa and Wynn Stewart's "Come On" was given a Crazy Rhythm make-over and can be considered a new Teddy Boy classic from now on. Flying Saucers' "Some Like It Hot", written by Sandy Ford, was already a classic song and it's re-arranged very well on this album. Songs like this will last forever. The last track is a Whitey (Dwight) Pullen song titled "Walk My Way Back Home", a superb rockabilly stomper that desperately needed the attention. I don't remember hearing a cover of this song before, it's a great pick and Crossfire performs it in a classic rockabilly style with a lot of enthusiasm. What, you are still reading? Put this platter in the record machine and turn up your volume! You won't be sorry you picked it up, it's Poison! Crossfire is: Tracklisting: |
