An old buddy of mine used to say that someone should make a compilation of kick-ass songs that are frequently heard in strip clubs. They could call it "Strip Club Classics" and make a fortune. After all, the reason the clubs choose certain songs to play is because they rock, they have a "sexy" sound, and they are about having a good time! Well, I have yet to find that compilation available at retail (I had to make my own!), but when I heard about Southern Gentlemen's Exotic Dancer Blues, it reminded me of my buddy's great idea and gave me a lot of hope that this disc would be full of rockin', sexy, fun tunes. I wasn't disappointed.

The brainchild of guitarist and Leviathan Records' chief David T. Chastain, Southern Gentlemen and their first CD, Exotic Dancer Blues, borrow a lot of sound from the 70's. ZZ Top, Hendrix, and Skynyrd influences can definitely be heard. But the sound is a touch heavier (or maybe it's just that the production these days is so much better) making it reminiscent, at times, of the music of current good-time Rock 'n Roll acts like Hair Of The Dog. Guitars are handled by Chastain, who abandons his usual speedy, reckless leads for controlled, tight, bluesy playing that really suits the music. The one complaint I had was that sometimes the breaks in the songs didn't come soon enough - while the riffs are often catchy, sometimes it seemed like you were hearing the same riff too many times in a row. A minor quibble, though. Chastain also handles the vocals adequately, although I wonder what these songs would sound like with a "real" vocalist. On the other hand, this music isn't really about the vocals. The production almost admits that, as it sounds like the vocals are turned down a bit so that the guitars dominate the sound. Kevin Kekes (Bass) and Dennis Lesh (Drums) provide the crunch.

Highlights are the first track, "Drive Me Wild," which features lots of sexy-sounding wah; "I Feel So Blue," a swinging blues-rock number which gets very catchy after a few plays; "Too Hot For Love," which might be the best and most complex song on the CD; "Back Door Woman," (love these titles!) which at the beginning reminds me a lot of a Hair Of The Dog tune; "Give Me Your Lust," which features solos that are closest to Chastain's usual shredding, and "Tonight," which has a catchy riff VERY reminiscent of early ZZ Top.

Before wrapping this review up, I wanted to mention that the first thing I noticed about this CD was the cover model. I know, I know, big surprise - what heterosexual guitar fan wouldn't notice a beautiful woman wrapped around a six-string? But while many folks might just assume she's just some babe the modeling agency sent over to the cover shoot, I recognized her as Kate French, who is not only a hell of a looker, but one hell of a singer! Kate was the vocalist on the last two "Chastain" albums, Sick Society and In Dementia. If you're like me and dig female Metal singers, you definitely want to check those discs out! Kate's growl definitely rocks!

To summarize, Southern Gentlemen's Exotic Dancer Blues is a solid collection of songs ideal for the 70's Southern/Blues Rock fan or anyone who loves music suitable for, well, exotic dancing. I could imagine most of the songs on this CD working well in the local...er..."establishment." Some might be put off by the unspectacular vocals, but if you can listen to a ZZ Top CD straight through, you can certainly enjoy this disc, too. Focus on the catchy Blues-Rock riffs. Oh, and see if you can save some dollar bills by getting your girlfriend to dance to it!

Reviewed by Shredfest

Check out the Leviathan Records website at www.leviathanrecords.com

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