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Joe was making great records early in his career, and he's
making great records now. It doesn't get much better than the
last two, 'Fingerprints' and 'True Companion.' Who
do you know who has made back-to-back great albums 20 years ago,
and is doing the same thing now? There's Dylan, Lucinda Williams
and Springsteen. He's on that level." - Jimmy Guterman, a
rock music writer and author of 'The Best Rock and Roll Records
of All Time. Click here for the
entire article...
TRUE COMPANION
The latest CD from Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers
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True Companion is Quintessential Grushecky - A Follow-Up of Have A Good Time ...
Have A Good Time (But Get Out Alive) was released in 1981, it was hailed by the rock press as one of the most significant albums of the year. Joe Grushecky's gritty words about life in the steel town was backed by searing guitars, thumping bass, melodic harmonicas and spine-tingling keyboards. The characters in those songs - Angela, Julie, et. al have since matured. No longer are they "searching for a one-night rendezvous" or are they waking up "in jail with a broken old man." (Maybe some of us are, though.)
Click here for the rest of the article!
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About the True Companion Songs
by Joe Grushecky
Shot of Salvation: I was playing
the basics of this on guitar. Johnny was
encouraging me to start rocking out
again. There was a lot of personal stuff
going on around the same time and used
the guitar to express my anger and
frustration (a lot healthier and cheaper
than punching somebody out). The song is
actually quite complicated to play
right. Joffo, Art, and I rehearsed it a
bit before going into the studio.We
played it once or twice and that was it.
The taped rolled and we caught it. Joffo
and Art kicked the hell out of it. It's
a great song to play live. It has an
Exile on Main Street vibe.
A
Long Way To Go - This is really
an autobiographical song from my brother
and I going to see the Stones to getting
Johnny a Fender. The thread of music has
been such an important factor in my
life. I inherited it from my mom and
dad. The music came quickly and the song
fell together around a guitar lick I had
been fooling around with. I brought it
into the studio, taught it to the band,
and cut it in one take live vocals and
all.
Strange Days: It was August and
we were almost finished recording "True
Companion," but I did not feel it was
complete yet. I had decided that a
couple of songs we had done just didn't
fit and that the cd needed another song
to tie it all together. So, much like
"Shot of Salvation," this song began by
me playing something I liked on the
guitar and again adding the lyrics about
how mad I was about certain things. I
tried to keep a sense of humor about my
frustrations because let's face it, you
never want to turn anger into
bitterness.
The
band played the song great. Bill and
Marc played great solos and the whole
track just swings. We did it in one
take. I think we overdubbed the solos
and I redid the vocals as I completed
the lyrics. When we were done I knew the
CD wa complete. The band really played
at another level on the cd and this song
was fun to record.
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True Companion: Back in the
eighties, I picked up a coupleof
re-issued Elvis lps. One was the
fifties' Elvis singing the blues. I
loved the album and in particular one
song called "Stranger in My Hometown."
The song and the idea behind it has
always stuck with me. The thought that
Elvis already felt alone and isolated at
that early stage was chilling. Anyway,
when doing an album one of the most
important things for me is to get the
idea of what I want to write about at
that particular time and place.
"Stranger in My Hometown" led me to
"True Companion" I wanted to write about
what lasts, what sustains, and what
gives real love and support through the
years. I wanted to write about moving
away from isolation and into the embrace
of true friends and family.
The
recording process for "TC" was way
different for the Houserockers. We
usually just set up in a room and bang
the song out live. But this time, I had
cut the song solo with an acoustic and
drum loop. That mean that Joffo and the
boys had to overdub their parts.
Joffo in
particular had a hard job to do because
there are so many changes in the song and
the arrangement is complex. The plan was to
try it this way, and if it didn't work,
record it again live. After living with the
track for a while, I fell in love with it
and kept it for the cd. This is obviously a
very personal song for me and one of my
favorites. This song is for my family and
friends and the boys in the band.
More
song descriptions to come soon...
Love
Joe G
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Friday,
January 30, 2004 |
Grushecky's
'True Companion' revives
distinctive sound
By
Brad Hundt, Staff writer
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
"I
think we're one of those bands
that has a particular sound," Joe
Grushecky says of the Houserockers.
"We have a certain authenticity
and history that we bring to the
music."
He's
not kidding. The Houserockers have
been pounding out gritty barroom
rock behind Grushecky for 15 years
now; a few of the members were
even in the Iron City Houserockers,
Grushecky's band in the 1970s and
early 1980s.
Anyone who's seen one of
Grushecky's shows lately at Jay's
Sports Bar at Southpointe or the
Rhythm House in Bridgeville knows
that the Houserockers haven't gone
anywhere. But the release this
week of the disc "True Companion"
marks the first time Grushecky and
the Houserockers have released new
studio material since 1998.
"I
think the band came in as better
musicians," Grushecky said. "We
played really good. It was a lot
of fun to do."
Grushecky and the Houserockers are
celebrating the release of "True
Companion" by - what else? -
rocking the house. For the next
two nights they'll be in residence
at Rosebud, mixing the old and the
new. Of course, they'll be playing
songs off the new disc, but
tonight they'll also be performing
the vintage Iron City Houserockers
album "Love's So Tough" in its
entirety. On Saturday night,
they'll be doing the same with
another Iron City Houserockers
album, "Have a Good Time É But Get
Out Alive!"
It's
appropriate that they're turning
the clock back 25 years, because
Grushecky believes that "True
Companion" is the closest he's
come to approximating the sound
and spirit of the Iron City
Houserockers.
"But
we didn't want it to sound like a
retro record," he explained last
week. "The more we did the record
we had that old sound."
In
fact, he's been joking that "True
Companion" is the sequel to "Have
a Good Time But Get Out Alive!"
Part of the reason is the return
of harmonica player Marc Reisman,
an Iron City Houserockers veteran.
"He has such a distinctive sound,
and that sound is part of what
made the Houserockers what they
were."
To
anyone who's been around
Pittsburgh for even a little
while, Grushecky is someone who
needs no introduction. A graduate
of California University (or
"Harvard on the Mon" as he
jokingly calls it), the
55-year-old has been one of the
leading names on the city's music
scene. He led the Iron City
Houserockers at the same time that
fellow heartland rockers John
Mellencamp and Bob Seger were
launching their careers. The band
won critical respect but few
sales, and vanished after the
release of "Blood on the Bricks"
in 1981.
The
concept was revived in 1989, with
the band being christened Joe
Grushecky and the Houserockers.
Their 1995 disc, "American
Babylon," was produced by Bruce
Springsteen, a friend of
Grushecky's since the 1970s.
Grushecky traditionally gets
on-stage and plays with
Springsteen whenever The Boss
comes to town, but the last two
times he was also joined by his
son, Johnny Grushecky. An aspiring
musician, he co-wrote a song with
his dad for "True Companion," and
has been turning Grushecky on to
some recent music.
"I
like a lot of the bands my son
likes," Grushecky said, citing
Dashboard Confessional, Something
Corporate and Newfound Glory.
"There's a lot of good bands out
there right now."
Work
and family figure heavily in
Grushecky's songs, and though
music isn't just a hobby for
Grushecky, it's not his full-time
career either - most weekdays, he
joins the rest of us in the
nine-to-five, working as a special
education teacher at Wesley
Highland School in Castle Shannon.
He
freely talks about his day-job,
but seems to be most animated when
discussing music, whether it's his
own disc or the John Lennon album
he was recently listening to. And
he's still full of plans: He's
considering recording an acoustic
disc next, or maybe a collection
of rock and roll oldies.
"I
have a few things I'd like to
accomplish before Father Time
ticks out on me," he said.
Father Time may not be ready to
claim Grushecky just yet, but it
does appear to have scooped up
Rosebud. It was announced Thursday
that the Strip District club would
be closing its doors permanently
after the the Saturday night show
thanks to slowing ticket sales,
the general economy and "other
factors." |
TRUE
COMPANION Review
by Pete Scoleri
When Have A Good Time (But Get Out Alive) was released in 1981, it was hailed by the rock press as one of the most significant albums of the year. Joe Grushecky's gritty words about life in the steel town was backed by searing guitars, thumping bass, melodic harmonicas and spine-tingling keyboards. The characters in those songs ö Angela, Julie, et. al have since matured. No longer are they
'searching for a one-night rendezvous' or are they waking up
'in jail with a broken old man'. (Maybe some of us are, though.)
It took a while, but 22 years later, Joe Grushecky has penned and the Houserockers
have recorded the follow-up to that
breakout album - True Companion.
The first two songs on this 11-song disc
'Long Way To Go' and 'Shot of Salvation' pack the same one-two punch that
'Have a Good Time' and 'Don't Let Them Push You
Around' threw out two decades ago but in a much more mature and measured tone.
'I set out to make an album that sounded like
'Have A Good Time,' Grushecky says. 'The band has been playing really well and with Marc back in the band, it was perfect timing. As we got into it, I wanted it to sound modern and not a retro record. I think we've done
that.'
The CD, scheduled for release this month, evokes the sounds of that vinyl record ö lots of heavy guitar that is overlayed with Marc Reisman's harmonica and Joe Pelesky's keyboards. Grushecky's influences are also evident on this disc ö from early Rolling Stones to Bob Dylan to the R&B of the
'60s and early '70s.
While this is a hard-driving rock'n roll record, ironically one of the best songs on the CD is an R&B tune co-written with Bill Toms ö
'She's A Big Girl Now' about a young woman who leaves her husband whose
'hands were hard as his heart was cold' to start a new life for herself. Complete with haunting harmonica fills by Reisman and soft backing vocal by Toms, this is the type of song that could ö dare this be uttered about a Houserocker song ö end up on Adult Contemporary air play.
Also getting songwriting credit on the CD is Johnny Grushecky, who co-wrote with dad
'The Shape I'm In' and 'Call Him.' Just to make sure listeners understand this is a follow-up to Have A Good Time, Grushecky notes in the opening track,
'Long Way To Goä, that he did have a good time and he got out alive. The song, -- sort of a autobiography of his professional career, talks about going to see his first Stones concert and signing the deal with MCA. While he laments that he hasn't hit it yet, he notes,
'Well I'm only in my 50s, I've got a long way to
go.'
On the title track,
'True Companionä, Grushecky talks about those he can count on in his life
as his true friends. In the vein of 'Dark and Bloody Groundä, the song starts off softly with acoustic guitar before the full band comes blowing in with heavy power and nearly wild abandon.
'I knew where I wanted to go with the title track,ä Grushecky says.
'I thought it was a great title ö it's about friendships and relationships that have been built up through the
years.'
In 1981, on
'We're Not Dead Yet' Grushecky talked about owning
'a gas hog in the garage that I can't afford to
drive' and not being able to take the taxi because he couldn't afford the ride,
'Silver Spoon' picks up where that left off. This decade's bitch about the working stiff trying to make it, funny enough, was spawned by a newscast in which a commentator said President Bush was born with two silver spoons in his mouth.
'I watched that I said, 'My dad wasn't born with a silver spoon,' Grushecky says.
'I was driving to work and that kept playing in my head. I got out of my car and went straight to my classroom and wrote the
song.'
Can this be considered a signature Houserocker album? That depends. There's been a number that can be considered signature. It is defining in that it is a departure from the softer, what some would call introspective, Fingerprints CD. True Companion is likely to be considered quintessential Grushecky ö hard-pounding guitars interlaced with the harmonies of keyboards and harmonic and driven by a thumping rhythm section. But don't forget the words. The words mean everything in a Houserockers song, whether they're describing someone you know or touching your heart. That's what makes the songs powerful. That's why the songs were strong nearly a quarter of century ago and that's why they remain that way to this day.
Sometimes, the way you're feeling can be summed up best by a lyric like this little snippet in
'What Gives' - 'It seems the harder I try the less I really
know.' Amen, brother, Amen.
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Review by
Laura Turner Lynch for Kweevak.com
JOE GRUSHECKY AND THE
HOUSEROCKERS – TRUE COMPANION:
True Companion is the
latest release from Joe Grushecky
who is based out of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. Joe and the band are
musical veterans bringing
expertise and professionalism to
all projects. Grushecky has gained
a reputation for thought provoking
lyrics about everyday life often
focusing on the working class. He
considers this eleven-track
collection a follow up to their
breakout record from 1981.
Although Joe and The Houserockers
have put out other CDs since then
True Companion is a return
to their musical roots. The sound
is pure rock and roll with heavy
guitars overlayed with keyboards,
bass, percussion and harmonica.
Subtle influences include R&B and
classic rock from the 60's and
early 70's. Yet a shot of youthful
perspective is also part of the
mixture as Joe's teenage son who
also plays guitar co-wrote the
last two tracks on this CD.
Grushecky states that these new
songs are ideal for live shows.
They are overflowing with energy
and first class instrumentation.
Although the CD is expertly
produced the songs have plenty of
potential to expand in a
spontaneous live setting. 'A Long
Way To Go' is authentic rock at it
best. Opening with an expressive
harp and Joe's gritty genuine
vocals the song rocks on with its
concrete beat and soaring guitars.
The title track is also dynamic
showcasing sizzling guitar work
and more solid rock sounds. 'The
Shape I'm In' is a prime example
of Joe's and also John Grushecky's
insight into the working class as
they talk about too much work, too
many bills and not enough play.
Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers
are the essence of rock and
True Companion confirms it!
• Recommended Tracks:
(1,4,10) [USA/PA 2003 -
web] (Review by
Laura Turner Lynch for Kweevak.com |
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TRUE COMPANION CD REVIEW
by Don Mulkerin
The brand new release from Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers is appropriately titled True Companion and is in turn dedicated to all the
true companions the band has met through the years. Ultimately, the songs are reaffirmations of the power of faith and friendship. In a society where nothing is built to last, relationships with those we love are what we can trust at the end of the day. Another important piece of work is produced by one of the best thinking man's rock and roll bands in the land. You'll be having too much fun listening to these tunes to be doing too much conscious thinking though.
After a five year break from recording as a band this has turned out to be a full blown Houserocker CD. In fact, Grushecky himself has referred to the new material as the, long awaited, follow-up to the most successful Houserocker album of all-time, the critically acclaimed Have A Good Time, But Get Out Alive. Together the band produced eleven songs that will rock clubs and entertain fans from all walks of life. Producer extraordinaire Rick Witkowski lent his magical touch to the project.
True Companions incorporates that classic Houserocker sound with some new twists. The music features Marc Reisman's sometimes frenetic and other times haunting harmonica. Since Reisman rejoined the band after the Coming Home sessions, this is his first foray into the recording studio as a Houserocker since Iron City's 1981 MCA release Blood on the Bricks. Keyboardist Joe Pelesky is more prominent than in past recordings as well. Bill Toms has developed into one of the best lead guitarists in any band anywhere. Bassist Art Nardini, power drummer Joffo Simmons and percussionist Bernie Herr provide their usual steady backbeat with heart and soul. Together they elevate the music inspired by the writing of band leader Joe Grushecky to new heights. Grushecky's lead vocals and guitar playing have aged like a fine French wine. If anything, all those nights spent in smoky watering holes have added even more character to his unique bluesy vocal chords. It's still a real treat to hear his interpretation of lyrics in song.
The first song, A Long Way To Go, sets the tone and makes a statement. This melodic, energetic rocker tells the tale of Grushecky's lifetime musical experience from the purchase of his first
'electric guitar from a Sear's Department Storeä through his initial record deal to being only in my fifties·and I got a long way to
go. The sentiment brings it all home, especially for Nardini and Reisman, who are veterans of the original band formed in the mid-1970's.
The second track, A Shot of Salvation, has the familiar barroom sound fans of the
Houserockers' live shows have come to love. This song also begins Grushecky's infamous knack for putting everyday frustrations of life into thought provoking lyrics. Surrounded by lies searching for the truth·I stand accused without proof are only the beginning lines of a full out assault on the indignities presented in life. However, bitterness is replaced with the hope found in the statement, I'm counting on love and praying for peace.
Strange Days may be the best and most interesting song on the disk. Reisman and Pelesky shine as Grushecky takes his shot at fate's cruel reality with the lyrics someday I'm going to write a book and tell the whole world out there about a mighty man they have overlooked. The fun continues with the great line maybe I could get something pierced, I bet it hurts but it sure looks fierce. The sarcasm bites at a wonderful pace throughout this joyous celebration of irony.
The title track, True Companion, reflects the band's
blues and rock roots with searing
guitars. Toms provides some nice
touches on mandolin. The
centerpiece of this new collection
leaves no doubt what is truly important
in this uncertain world with beautiful
lyrics and driving music My daddy he's a good man·He worked hard all his life·And all that really mattered was his family and his wife.
Another interesting song, that may catch longtime listeners of this music by surprise, is She's A Big Girl Now. This Grushecky-Toms penned ballad displays the compassion towards the working class this band has always shown. Heroes are born in the small victories realized by individuals who refuse to allow tough circumstances to keep them down. Like characters depicted in so many other Houserocker songs who are survivors, this single working mother finds redemption in a new love ö for the first time in a long time she felt beautiful and that in itself was just enough. Grushecky's soulful, rap-style delivery and Reisman's haunting harmonica only serve to convey the message all the more dramatically.
A few riffs are borrowed from Van Morrison on Count On you. This song is guaranteed to get people out of their seats on the club circuit, with Pelesky's rollicking organ, Reisman's playful harmonica and a take no prisoners jam on guitars.
What Gives is a mid-tempo tune with an infectious rhythm. Like a good point guard on a no look pass, the band excels as a tight group of experienced musicians. Just try and hold back from toe tapping as you drive in your car to lyrics such as Well I'm stuck here in this traffic, just
waitin' for the week to end as the music carries you along for the ride.
Silver Spoon is a countrified, bluesy, harmonica filled song that the Houserockers pull off so well. Pelesky's keyboards keep the number moving along at a pace that defies a sedentary listen. Grushecky continues to rail against injustices faced by the common man at the hands of the nation's elite as he sings We can't afford the house, we can't afford the heat, we can't afford the shoes that are on my feet, we can't afford the electric, can't pay the rent· Oh, won't you help me out Mr. President! If you like this one, then give the band's hillbilly-funk interpretation of Light of Day a listen, on the 2003 Bruce Springsteen tribute double CD to benefit the Parkinson's Foundation.
Boston's Charles River can't compete with Pittsburgh's three grand rivers and the Houserockers claim the Standell's classic Dirty Water as their own. As Grushecky snarls, down by the banks of the mighty Mon·I love that dirty water... aaah, Pittsburgh you're my home, it's apparent that this cover could easily become a standard at Houserocker shows.
The rapidly moving The Shape I'm In overloads the mind with a machine gun style presentation of imagery, while the guitars, bass and drums keep your heart pumping like an out of control tread mill. The influence of Grushecky's teenage son, Johnny, is unmistakable in this one. Johnny Grushecky is prominently included in the dedications of the CD by his father, for providing inspiration and a reminder of why he started playing guitar to begin with.
The theme of faith and trust ends on a strong note with Call Him, a song which is left open to interpretation by the listener. The lesson is well taught that we all depend on someone to get through our daily existence in the lyrics He will answer and he will hear, and he will help me, he will I swear·got to call him. Despite its poignant lyrics this song offers some blistering guitar work. It's easy to envision prolonged jams accompanying Grushecky's forceful pleas when this one is played live. The line my motor's always running, I ain't going anywhere has a prophetic ring to it.
It's been a long and fruitful journey for Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers. On this latest CD, Grushecky promises to have a long, long way to go. That is a reassuring message for fans of this truly great American rock
n' roll band. They certainly have been true companions throughout a long journey in our lives. Like a thread through the lives of long time fans, this music has stood the test of time. For new fans, the Houserocker train has plenty of room to climb on board for all the thrills and promise old time rock and roll has to offer.
Joe Grushecky continues to compose vital music that has grown with his audience. The Houserockers were born to play with a passion that is signified by their incredibly dynamic longevity. Together they have fulfilled their promise in a style that is all their own. In a sea of talented musicians trying to make it big in every American city, this band has stood above most of those with like ambitions for a long time. Their unique talent, limitless effort and defiance has ensured an esteemed position in the annals of rock history. Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers embody all that is right with this genre of music. With any luck, their story will become well known beyond the packed east coast venues they play.
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JOE
GRUSHECKY AND THE HOUSEROCKERS
True Companion
Review
by Rev. Keith A. Gordon
Pittsburgh’s Joe Grushecky may well be
rock music’s least-known cult artist,
his long time backing band the
Houserockers the best bar band in
America. An underrated songwriter and
storyteller and a guitarist of no
little skill, if not for his
connection with fellow blue-collar
rocker Bruce Springsteen, Grushecky
would get no respect at all. In the
eyes of many critics, however,
Grushecky’s 2002 solo effort
Fingerprints outdistanced
Springsteen’s The Rising
in both ambition and pure rock & roll
thrills.
Working without the Houserockers net,
Grushecky’s solo turn was impressive,
but it also proved to be invigorating.
Back in the studio with the band he’s
fronted in one form or another for a
quarter-century, True Companion
is the Houserockers’ sixth studio
album and first release in almost five
years. The time apart has allowed
players like guitarist Billy Toms,
bassist Art Nardini, drummer Joffo
Simmons and the others to recharge
their batteries. The chemistry between
band and band leader is undeniable and
Grushecky has delivered a solid batch
of songs for True Companion,
the Houserockers responding with
spirited, energetic performances that
have more in common with the Stones,
CCR and Memphis soul than with
anything you’ll hear on the radio
these days.
Grushecky is at his best when writing
about his place in the world around
him, and True Companion
offers several insightful (and
revealing) glimpses into the soul of
the man. A Long Way To Go’ is a
perfect recounting of the joys of rock
& roll, the lyrics tracing the artist
from enthusiastic teenage rocker to
middle-aged family man and rock & roll
lifer who has come too far to quit
now. It’s as close to a biography as
Grushecky has allowed, the defiant
closing lines ‘I still want to rock
and roll/Hell I’m only in my
fifties/And I still got a long way to
go’ stating that the old dog still
has some music left in him yet.
’Strange Days’ is the opposite side of
the coin, however, the wondering aloud
of a man whose best efforts have been
overshadowed by the success of lesser
artists. Grushecky has always ignored
trends, playing a timeless style of
rock & roll, although it has cost him
greatly. ‘If only I would have known,’
he sings, ‘maybe I would have changed
my look.’ He continues ‘Someday I’m
going to write a book/And tell the
world out there/About a mighty man
they have overlooked/And spread my
philosophy/Hey man, it ain’t what you
eat, it’s who’s the cook.’ Whether we
like it or not, age catches up with
all of us, and self-doubt creeps in
when ‘all the things I like are so
outdated.’ Grushecky knows that the
world has little place for a
fifty-something rocker that few have
heard of, yet he continues to hope
that ‘tomorrow’s a better day.’
It is with the title cut, ‘True
Companion,’ however, that Grushecky
delivers on every promise that he has
ever made to his listeners. With a
mournful melody reminiscent of
Springsteen’s ‘The River,’ the artist
questions his ability to carry on in
the face of indifference. In
reflecting, he draws strength from
those he cherishes his father, his
wife and his family. Seldom has
Grushecky’s guitarwork flown so high,
punctuating his lyrics with a lonesome
wail that channels the ghosts of a
dozen Delta bluesmen. Its not the
only time on True Companion
that Grushecky calls upon his family
to get him through ‘Count On You’ is
a wonderful love song for his wife, a
Southern fried rocker with a funky
rhythm and enough joy to share, a
musical departure and a lyrical gem.
Grushecky has not abandoned his
trademark tales of blue-collar woe on
True Companion. ‘She’s A
Big Girl Now’ tells the story of a
domestic abuse victim that manages to
break free and start a new life while
‘A Shot Of Salvation’ offers the
lament of every family living paycheck
to paycheck in a world where there are
‘too many songs, not enough soul.’ The
lively ‘A Silver Spoon’ pokes fun at
the privileged few that run this
country while ‘The Shape I’m In’ is a
hard-rocking accounting of the fears
experienced every day by both those
who punch a clock and those who have
no clock to punch. An electrifying
cover of the garage rock classic
‘Dirty Water’ is dedicated to the
hometown that has supported Grushecky
for decades (and the three rivers that
define the city).
The album closes with ‘Call Him,’ the
artist coming to grips with the trials
and self-doubt experienced across the
previous ten songs, finding solace in
his faith and the ability to carry on
in the face of the dream-crushing
daily treadmill. ‘Well I get up in the
morning/And I do it all again/And I
never tell nobody/About the pain I’m
in’ sings Grushecky, searching for a
light to lead him out of darkness.
It’s a powerful and personal song and
a magnificent testimonial. Throughout
all of True Companion,
Grushecky’s guitar moans and cries and
screams like a tortured soul, the
Houserockers offering dignified
support behind Grushecky’s soulful
vocals.
Far too often has Joe Grushecky been
compared to Bruce Springsteen, denied
his place as a rock & roll original.
If not for decisions made long ago, or
perhaps a stroke of luck or fate’s
touch or whatever you want to call it,
their roles might have been reversed.
Grushecky is a true rocker, an artist
of distinctive voice that stands in
nobody’s shadow. He keeps struggling
to create the perfect rock & roll
album because that’s all he knows to
do. True Companion
showcases Grushecky’s best work yet,
proof positive that you’re never too
old to rock & roll.
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By Lee
Zimmerman
Music Columnist
Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers:
True Companion
(Schoolhouse Records)
A quarter of a century ago, when
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
was still a break-out band and
Bruce Springsteen was still on the
ascent towards superstardom, the
Iron City Houserockers was the
ultimate blue-collar combo, a
group of street-savvy rockers from
Pittsburgh whose rough and tumble,
no nonsense sound propelled the
band into the national spotlight.
Unlike their contemporaries, the
Iron City Houserockers never
achieved the mass adulation of
their peers, although the band’s
leader, Joe Grushecky has been
pounding a steady string of gritty
anthem-filled albums ever since.
Now, 23 years after the release of
their cult classic, Have a Good
Time But Get Out Alive, the band
is back with what they’re calling
a long-overdue sequel, and in
terms of sheer drive and
determination, it clearly was
worth the wait.
The characters that inhabit these
songs are obviously drawn from
real life, honest, hard-working
folk who are struggling to
overcome the struggles that life
has thrown their way. Songs such
as “Long Way to Go,” “A Shot of
Salvation,” “What Gives,” “The
Shape I’m In” and “Strange Days”
reflect the angst of their titles
with surging, hard-bitten assaults
that leave no quarter in terms of
dialogue or delivery. Likewise,
the well-chosen cover of the ‘60s
grunge rock classic “Dirty Water”
plays well to these edgy
observations, with the band
adapting the references to Boston
and the River Charles to their
hometown environs.
If angst and cynicism are
hallmarks of the new American
psyche, then Joe Grushecky and the
Houserockers ought to be nominated
to compose the nation’s new
national anthem. True Companion is
filled with sentiments too honest
to ignore.
For more information, visit
www.grushecky.com. |
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Originally Reviewed at
AsburyMusic.com on February 20,
2004
CD Review
http://www.trentonmusic.com
True Companion
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True Companion
by Joe Grushecky and the
Houserockers
1) A Long Way To Go
2) A Shot Of Salvation
3) Strange Days
4) True Companion
5) She's A Big Girl Now
6) Count On You
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7) What Gives
8) A Silver Spoon
9) Dirty Water
10) The Shape I'm In
11) Call Him
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Joe Grushecky
and the Houserockers are
celebrating 25 years since their
first record was released with
True Companion. The guys from
Pittsburgh who are practically
Jersey Shore rockers by
association have come through with
another record sure to please
their fans and add more to the
party.
Records by the
Houserockers are straight ahead
rock and roll similar to the
traditional Jersey Shore r&b sound
minus the horn section. If you're
a fan of Bruce Springsteen or
Southside Johnny chances are
you'll love this stuff. But the
songs that really catch my
attention from Grushecky are the
ones like the title track, "True
Companion," which sound like they
bear more of a Dire Straits
musical influence than a Jersey
Shore one.
"So many years spent waiting
so many years just holding fast
to find that I've been forgotten
how much longer can I last
Some nights when I'm out there
singing
I feel like a stranger in this
town
my regret's a lone companion
As this world keeps turning
'round"
-"True Companion"
There's nothing
wrong with roots rock and I'm a
huge fan of the Jersey Shore type
of music, but sometimes it seems
like the songs are a little too
closely related record after
record. Songs like "True
Companion" and "She's a Big Girl
Now" are clearly something
different and something special.
It's when the band takes chances
that I really appreciate what they
do. Thankfully, they always manage
to take enough chances on each
record to make it worth the price.
My favorite
tracks include "True Companion",
"A Long Way To Go", "Call Him","A
Silver Spoon", and "The Shape I'm
In".
Visit the band's website at
grushecky.com.
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