THE GREENHORNES – “★★★★” 2010

THIRD MAN RECORDS
12″ VINYL
CATALOGUE NUMBER: TMR053
PRESSED: UNITED RECORD PRESSINGThis is the Greenhornes first full length LP of new material for the band since 2002’s “Dual Mono”. The packaging for this record may be our finest work to date yet, A die-cut fold out sleeve featuring liner notes by the one and only Jim Jarmusch. “★★★★” may be the Greenhornes’ strongest collection of songs yet. It’s diverse yet very concise, from the dark pop of lead single “Saying Goodbye”, the bubble glam of “Song 13”, to “Cave Drawings” moody psych; it’s an eclectic and mature work and very much The Greenhornes own.

THE GREENHORNES – “EAST GRAND BLUES” 2005

V2 RECORDS
CD

On their first record for V2, the East Grand Blues EP, Cincinnati’s Greenhornes show some range in adding the Byrds to the list of bands (the Yardbirds, the Kinks, the Sonics) they cop licks and sounds from. Leadoff track “I’m Going Away” mixes chiming 12-string guitars and lush vocal harmonies to get a much softer and melodic feel than anything the band has done before. The rest of the disc features the group’s usual high quality brand of garage rock revivalism but with an important twist. Surprisingly, moody Beat group-influenced ballads are the order of the day with “Shelter of Your Arms,” “At Night,” and “Shine Like the Sun,” each being subdued and plaintive with atmospheric, almost dreamy, production courtesy of Brendan Benson. “Pattern Skies” is the only rocker on board and while it feels a bit by the numbers song-wise, the exciting production and soaring guitar work save the day. At least on this EP, the band seems to have scaled back their aggressiveness and retreated to a more melodic and grown-up sound. To people who liked their powerful and nasty side, you may be thinking “sell-out.” For anyone who thought the ballads were the best thing about Dual Mono, it is a step in the right direction. The choice is yours.

THE GREENHORNES – “BROKEN FLOWERS” (SOUNDTRACK) 2005

UNIVERSAL CLASSICS
CD

THE GREENHORNES – “DUAL MONO” 2002

CD

The Greenhornes’ third album for Hoboken indie Telstar changes very little (if any) of the group’s standard formula. With the addition of new guitarist Eric Stein however, the Cincinnati garage rockers’ dead on British Invasion-meets-Midwest is more powerful and crisp sounding than ever. “Satisfy My Mind” may only have three basic chords, but Stein lets them ring out as if he invented them himself. In fact, the Greenhornes so perfectly nail the careening, rough side of 1960s pre-psychedelic rock & roll that they leave almost no room to consider the music in any other context. They even add gimmicky harpsichord to more than one tune, a trend that was dated as soon as the Yardbirds did it. None of this takes away from the enjoyment of the group’s utterly basic, aggressive sound, but it’s hard not to envision the Greenhornes becoming the soundtrack band if someone ever decides to film the Jeff Beck story.

THE GREENHORNES – “THE GREENHORNES” 2001

CD

Unlike many garage revival records, what stands out about the Greenhornes’ self-titled release is that their original songs sound better than their covers. While remaining true to the ’50s blues and ’60s rock/mod pioneers which clearly influenced them (think Stax meets Kinks), the Greenhornes have established themselves as classic songwriters in their own right. Produced by John Curley (formerly of Afghan Whigs), the album is a compelling blend of vintage and modern. Slow-tempo, melancholy ballads like “Stay Away Girl” alternate with rumpshakers like “Lies” and “Nobody Loves You.” However, it’s Fox’s vocals (once described as “worn”) which are the magic element on the album. It’s hard to believe that it’s really just a 24-year-old white kid from Ohio singing these songs.

THE GREENHORNES – “GUN FOR YOU” 1999

CD

On this sizzling garage rock debut, Cincinnati, OH’s Greenhornes showcase their talents at combining solid early- to mid-’60s Stones/Kinks-style rock with a jovial mod influence and Detroit blues-rock punchiness. Their lineup features former members of the Nevada Death Band, including Craig Fox on guitars and vocals, Brian Olive on guitar and backup vocals, Patrick Keeler on drums, and Jack Lawrence on bass; the pervasive organ right up front in the mix comes courtesy of spectacular keyboardist Jared McKinney. There are ten blues- and soul-tinged originals here in all, along with two blistering covers (including the old Blues Project chestnut “Wake Me, Shake Me”). Fox’s multi-range singing talents are wildly apparent on howling rave-ups like “No More,” “The End of the Night” (a song about the nature of dysfunctional relationships), and “Going to the River,” or blue-eyed soul numbers “Hold Me,” “I’ve Been Down,” and the smoky “No Friend of Mine.”