Turns out that the front man for Social Distortion has a sweetie, aw-shucks rockabilly side. His solo effort, Cheating at Solitaire from Time Bomb records based in Laguna Beach, CA offers much needed relief from the pseudo-swing overdose currently injected in America’s veins.
For those of you who don’t know or could care less about Orange County, Mike Ness is a local hero done good out here. Given that Disney Bands No Doubt and Sugar Ray and the moronic Offspring also spring forth with their candy assed music, it’s a veritable miracle.
This album is very cool, punk-blues- rockabilly. The opening "The Devil in Miss Jones" sets the rousing pace for the rest of the album, while "Crime Don’t Pay" features that Brian Setzer cool. "Dope Fiend Blues" has a harder edge, and The Boss joins in on vocals and guitars on "Misery Loves Company".
And there are L-U-V songs too. Ness sings the ballads of a lonely man in "Rest of our Lives", a very noble "Cheating at Solitaire", and "If You Leave Before Me". Ness delivers on a cover of Dylan’s "Don’t Think Twice", and a fiery version of Hank Williams’ "You Win Again". His cover of "The Long Black Veil" matches Jagger’s intensity on his version on the Chieftan's album of the same name.
What matters most, me thinks, is that it sounds like recording this album was fun, as opposed to being overproduced, feigned schlock.
Ness deserves some good, good, good luck with this one.
Mike Ness Cheating at Solitaire
