CD Review: "Play Some Rock & Roll" by Mambo Sons

by Rick Landers

Play Some Rock & Roll opens with a yelp and a bit of straight ahead old time rock 'n' roll driven by Stones riffs and vintage '70s vocals by Scott Lawson.

No surprises on this album for anyone who misses or wants to return to the melodic guitar riffs of thirty years ago. Mambo Sons reaches back through the decades and takes us back in time.

Almost every track reminds us of the legends that influence the group's music, as lead guitarist Tom Guerra rips through a heap of crunchy rock guitar and at times shows off his allegience to Roger McGuinn's work with the Byrds.

Most of the songs on Play Some Rock & Roll sound strangely familiar, yet always stand upright with their own originality.

Listen closely and you'll hear the musical structure of George Harrison's "If I Needed Someone" on one of the CD's highlights, "Our Time is Getting Closer", Keith Richards "Brown Sugar" on the first cut, "I Get Around Too Much" and even a hint of Michael Nesmith's "Pleasant Valley Sunday" on the final track, "Everything Was Mine." T-Rex, the Allman Brothers and the chimey ringing of the Byrds are all tucked in Play Some Rock & Roll giving the CD a nicely seasoned charm.

"Strawberry Hill" offers the Allman's a delightful handshake with a parallel guitar riff and a great melody that you want to sing along with, but you can't seem to remember the words to this memorable tune - because it's new.

"Rockaway" ushers in some sweet "tweener" Strat tones of Jimi Hendrix "Little Wing" to the CD, then sadly doesn't remain an instrumental, leaving Guerre's smooth riffs behind as an undercurrent to a vocal that doesn't quite fit.

Overall though, the CD works, with songs like "Little Live Thing" that pushes steadily, confidently and melodically along with a winning Charlie Watt's back beat, fuzzy riff lines, and close knit vocal harmonies.

Obviously the Mambo Sons love old time rock 'n' roll and keep it all grounded in the era by playing vintage equipment. Guerra steps out with a herd of great vintage Stratocasters, Telecasters and Gibsons; all hooked up to some weathered amps like his crunchy '69 Marshall PA20, a legendary '65 AC30TB and clean sounding '66 Fender Vibrolux.

Play Some Rock & Roll should attract folks to show up at Mambo Sons outings when they go on tour later this year, as well as keep their eyes on the Son's website (mambosons.com) to find out when their new CD will be available.

Wanna hear some great "new" 1970s rock 'n' roll? Mambo Sons deliver!

Songs

I Get Around Too Much
Blame It All On You
Come On Back
Strawberry Hill
River Is Wide
Little Live Thing
Our Time is Getting Closer
Rockaway
'79
What You Got
Everything Was Mine