Left Lane Cruiser – Beck In Black

The trashed-out punk blues duo Left Lane Cruiser have now been around for more than a decade, they are comprised of Freddy J IV on vocals and slide guitar and Pete Dio on drums. They were formed in Fort Wayne, Indiana, or Hades depending on who you ask, Left Lane Cruiser play a trashy mix of blues, punk and bluegrass that reeks of intoxification, they have previously recorded tracks with titles like Dirty Spliff Blues, sadly that song isn’t included on this collection, but you can practically smell the smoke and bourbon that has doubtless informed this album.

I have noticed the blues punk scene has been gaining momentum on both sides of the Atlantic and Left Lane Cruiser are one the pioneers of this burgeoning movement. There’s a good chance you will have unknowingly heard their music before now, it has featured in many hit television series, including Banshee, Breaking Bad, and Nashville. Beck In Black is a collection of songs from Left Lane Cruiser‘s first albums for Alive Naturalsound Records. It was originally released in spring 2016 as an exclusive Metallic Gold Vinyl pressing for Record Store Day, and will now be available on July 8th 2016 on CD and digital formats for the first time, alongside their earlier material there are an additional six previously unreleased songs.

The album opens with one of the new tracks, a mean and moody cover of Hoyt Axton‘s The Pusher, it is followed by my favourite track from the collection, The Circus, this is a swirling dervish of blues punk that is deeply addictive and features some exquisite slide guitar work. The album has a distinct bluegrass feel throughout but it is merged with garage and punk influences that are incorporated seamlessly into the mix to make a truly unique sound that anyone who enjoys the trashy side of garage and punk should investigate.

The download of Beck In Black can be ordered from the usual sources and the CD can be ordered here