Bottom Line:
This is what Hank III has to say about Wayne "The Train" Hancock: "Wayne Hancock has more Hank Sr. in him than either I or Hank Williams Jr. He is the real deal." It's not a far stretch. In his own words, Hancock is "the stab wound in the fabric of country music." Hancock takes control of a song and commands the listener, blending country swing and honky-tonk with a trace of blues and jazz and even a little Hawaiian music to come out with a sound all his own.
When it comes to a pure Texas swing sound, there's few who do it as well as Wayne "the Train"
Hancock. Now, I'm not sure how Wayne comes by his nickname, but I'd venture a guess that it
has to do with that "lonesome whistle" sound of his voice, which is as honest and real as they
make 'em, solidly uncompromisingly traditional and wholly and completely modern in
approach, theme, and style. His swing is punctuated by thumping doghouse bass (played by
Chris Darrell) and whining steel (Eddie Rivers), all working together to make a disc that's a long
way from "retro." The approach is traditional, the sound is real, this is the proof you don't have
to be synthesized pop, you don't have to Pro Tools to the ends of the earth, you don't have to
dance on tables. Just make good music, and folks will listen to it. They don't call Hancock the
King of Juke Joint Swing for nothin'. Hancock asks for nothing but appreciation for his band,
and these guys can play. In addition to Darrell and Rivers, Hancock is backed by Eddie Biebel,
Paul Skelton, and Dave Biller on lead guitars, Bob Stafford on trombone, and John Doyle on
clarinet (you read it right, no drums at all), produced by the legendary Lloyd Maines.
All fourteen songs were written by Hancock, proving himself once again as both performer and
songwriter as he's done on his previous releases, from first release Thunderstorms and Neon
Signs all the way through 2003's live Swing Time. Tulsa is Hancock's first studio
release since 2001's A-Town Blues. The disc starts out strong with the thumping, swinging
title track, a rousing salute to that Midwestern town in Oklahoma. The theme is the rovin' man,
as it often is in Hancock's songs - that lonesome highway calls, and it shows in songs such as
"Goin' Home Blues," "Shootin' Star From Texas," and "Goin' To Texas When
I'm Through." But Hancock touches bases on other notable country themes, of course;
there's love and loss in "No Sleep Blues," "This Lonely Night," and "Lord Take
My Pain"; then there's recovering from love and loss in "I Don't Care Anymore."
There's drinkin', of course, in the aptly titled "Drinkin' Blues," and the struggles of the
everyday working man in "Ain't Gonna Worry No More." In other words, Hancock has a
little of everything for every style of country swing fan there is.
If you love to honky-tonk, then Hancock's got what you want, in spades. That pure juke-joint
swing is nothin' short of a blessing for any lover of spinning around on the ol' wooden dance
floor of a Saturday night; "The Train" knows how to entertain. Tulsa never fails to satisfy.
It's country music on a scale that just isn't heard anywhere near Music Row (at least, not very
much), but for anyone who's still out there looking for that honky-tonk swing sound, it's right
here. You don't have to look one inch further.
Song List:
- Tulsa
- Drinkin' Blues
- Highway Bound
- I Don't Care Anymore
- This Lonely Night
- Goin' Home Blues
- Shootin' Star From Texas
- Ain't Gonna Worry No More
- Gonna Be Flyin' Tonight
- No Sleep Blues
- Lord Take My Pain
- Back Home
- Brother Music, Sister Rhythm
- Goin' To Texas When I'm Through