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MP3 Cadillac Hitmen - The Assassin
11 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Surf Rock, ROCK: Instrumental Rock
Details:
The Cadillac Hitmen are that rare entity which understands the sacred nature of that which has come before, and which humbly aspires to participation in their chosen idiom''s perpetuation. This is a great band with an evolved sense of self, a peculiar combination of humility and confidence, and a devotion to concept, composition and tone. Lead guitarist Jeff Morris is The Cadillac Hitmen''s most eloquent spokesperson: "A big part of playing music is communicating the drama of an experience that you might have had, or maybe might not have had. Through the music, whether it happened to you or not, you understand the idea. You might live vicariously through the vision of the musician, or maybe you''ve experienced something similar."
The Cadillac Hitmen''s new CD, "Tri-State Killing Spree," is easily the best local release in the past year. You have to go back to Percy Hill''s "Color in Bloom" or Say Zuzu''s "Bull" to find a rival. It is a cogent concept, beautifully articulated-a south western soundtrack of murder most foul and a death wish whose inevitability is outstripped only by its almost joyful acceptance.
Text describing a working man coming to the end of his rope is included with the liner notes, providing a time line of events that underscores the music. Stopping for gas, aspirin and tequila after a long day of work, the protagonist fields an obnoxious comment from the gas station attendant. Before the pump jockey knows it, he''s got chest full of slugs. With a full tank, plenty of Blue Agave and a headache to beat all hell, the driver heads west, knowing that the yokel who pumped his gas wouldn ''t be the last stiff he''d leave in his wake.
The music is highly reminiscent of Ennio Morricone''s soundtracks for Sergio Leone''s spaghetti westerns starring Clint Eastwood. "For a Few Dollars More." "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," and many other of Leone''s dust-in-your-teeth, bang bang shoot-em-up flicks are given a gracious tip of the hat on this recording. Guitarist Morris acknowledges the influence: "To borrow a phrase, a lot of what ''Tri-State Killing Spree'' aspires to be is themes from imaginary westerns. It''s Ernest Borgnine with ketchup packets in his shirt." When I asked the band about their own munitions, bassist Tina Marconi, drummer Steve Toland and Morris all instinctively turned to look at guitarist Robert Garceau. "I have a few guns," Garceau said with an understated deadliness. Given the recent events in the Balkans, it is interesting to try and imagine a similar herding of people out of their homes taking place in America. Marauding thugs stumbling across The Cadillac Hitmen''s rehearsal space would quickly find themselves staring down the business end of a .357 Magnum. "I read a statistic that there are 250 million people in this country and 200 million guns" Garceau recounted. "I''d like to see that number double." Morris added to Garceau''s threat. "All of our equipment is in the basement. Anyone is welcome to try to rip us off." All weaponry thankfully remained in the holsters throughout the interview, but I made a mental note to knock loudly the next time I come over to visit The Hitmen.
Given the band''s gritty, visceral approach to both image and music, it is interesting to note that they have had an Internet strategy in place for more than a year. Their website (https://www.tradebit.com is currently flirting with passing the 5000 hit mark, and has served as a meeting place for like-minded bands and fans, and even introduced them to the artist who designed their stunning CD jacket. Brian Parrish, a Texas-based artist and photographer has created a perfect visual compliment to the band''s musical concept. A sunset image of Texas tombstones, an eerily enhanced depletion of a highway sign and grainy photos of the band''s members all combine to convey the dark and murderous aura of this CD. There isn''t a single sung or spoken word on "Tri-State Killing Spree," but the moods depicted are as clear and absolute as bullet through your forehead. The first two songs on the release, "Black Snake Road" and "Bullet Dance" barrel out of the speakers with thick, beefy guitar tones that guitarists and fans of great amp sound will adore. Reverb that hangs in the air like a ceiling fan and the howling tubes of Marconi''s, Garceau''s and Morns'' amplifiers lend this recording an honesty and liveliness that will be irresistible to afi-cionados of instrumental guitar music. The recording is patient throughout, not afraid to slow down and ponder, or to leave the murky world of minor chords in favor of more ostensibly cheerful compositions. In the context of the recording as a whole, these more upbeat and positive compositions take on an even creepier hue than the classic minor twang that largely defines the surfabilly genre.
The Cadillac Hitmen''s lineup has remained constant since July of 1997. Bassist Tina Marconi attributes this relative longevity to all of the band''s members being "equally maladjusted," and to the fact that they don''t have a singer. "Most of them are assholes. And for me, it''s more interesting to play instrumental music. When you have lyrics, it''s like you''re telling the audience what to think. A lot of people who go to an art museum can''t handle abstract concepts. They want to look at a painting and be able to say ''that''s a bowl of fruit.'' That''s not our audience. People coming to a Cadillac Hitmen show have to bring their imaginations with them."
Drummer Steve Toland''s surprisingly progressive playing on this CD is worthy of note. Typically, the role of the drummer in guitar-based instrumental music is to provide a hard-chuggin'' boom-bap that the guitar players can flail over. Toland does this with considerable aplomb, but in addition, he asserts himself as creative, thinking musician https://www.tradebit.comitious fills and fearlessly sparse playing over the ballad numbers establish Toland as one of the seacoast''s truly fine percussionists.
This is one of the most outstanding bands the New Hampshire seacoast has ever seen, or as the case may be, hasn''t seen. Original instrumental music has always been a tough sell in this area, and the considerable success of the band''s first release has largely been due to Internet and foreign sales. An old adage says that a prophet is not known in his own home town, and in the case of The Cadillac Hitmen, it is sadly true. Seacoast audiences have an opportunity to correct this state of affairs in the first weeks of May. Go see this band. They''ll kill you.
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