Racking my brains here, I think the first bluegrass record I ever heard was the duet between Steve Earle and The Del McCrory Band.
I could be wrong but I don’t remember a line on that one that was like a boxing intro tape that said: “Will you welcome the Banjo ripping, guitar picking, get the pussies dripping, Tejon Street Corner Thieves.”
Not that anyone should be surprised. TSCT opened for labelmate Amigo The Devil (they were the first band signed to the label he founded). It was, I said: “[the] kind of night, hot, sweaty, raucous, is perfect for Tejon Street Corner Thieves, but, my how they made the most of it.”
And it was hotter than the mouth of Hades that night, even in November, though, this is fun.
After the braggadocious opener comes “Smoking Is Cool” there’s a touch of pathos here, but not much. “We’ll end up dead or in the pen” offers the second verse. But no one sounds too fussed.
The blues here is some of the more primal, “I Can’t Remember” sees them wonder if the “cocaine or the whisky is to blame”. Neither would help I suppose, and this is raw as hell. Expertly done though, and the organ is sublime.
“Special Lady” is like an episode of My Name Is Earl” episode. The best trailer park love song you ever heard, and one of the few songs that has ever made me laugh out loud.
“Blue Lives Murder” is definitely not a lot of laughs though – and neither is supposed to be. The murder of George Floyd is set to Banjo music, and it doesn’t hold back. Accusing the police of being racist Killers. It is a brave song. And typical of the extremes this works in.
“You Rascal You” is a proper folk song. Real Sea Shanty stuff. The piano makes this gypsy jazz, the Kazoo is a lovely touch. And just imagine how raucous this was when they played it live in the spring.
Theres a message of hope in “The End Of Apathy”, maybe the kids will make things better (and they can’t make it worse?).
Preacher’s Daughter” mocks religion: It’s OK to sin as long as you come in and tell the Preacher about it” It goes, but even more than that it is a glorious hoedown.
There’s a palpable sense of sadness in “Run Away”. Starting with his mother leaving home and getting worse from there. A true storyteller, and with mournful strings.
Which is why “Juxtaposition” is so aptly named. For every yin, there’s a yang. For every drug-filled night on the town, there’s the hangover in the morning.
There are not many bands like Tejon Street Corner Thieves (ok I haven’t heard any, but I’m hedging my bets a bit) and this won’t be everyone.
If you like weird and somewhat offensive, yet totally unashamed and authentic bluegrass, then this is for you – and I’ll grant you that’s a limited market.
Rating 8.5/10
