Search - Greg Hawks & the Tremblers :: Fool's Paradise

Lyrics for your life

Mary Mary | Durham, NC United States | 03/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's rare that I find a CD that's out of the range of my everyday tastes and end up enjoying it so much. This country rock CD is much richer than that limited label. The lyrics are original and penetrating. Here's a real person telling real stories to catchy melodies. They mirror the moods and stages we all suffer of frustrated longing, misfit loving, and wheel-spinning stalling. Even the saddest tunes leave you thinking something better's around the corner -- since something beautiful has been wrought from life's ugly moments."

Fool's Paradise

W. Reynolds | Nashville, By God | 01/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I received this album as a promo. Not really into country music, especially traditional country music but this album grabbed me by my alternative rock roots and hasn't let go 18 months later. You'll find that the music tracks are not particularly "original" in style, but Greg and the boys find the groove for each song (style) and then simply claim ownership of it. But that's not what makes this album stand out, there are lots of good tracks and grooves here in Nashville. What makes this album stand out are the lyrics. Not the same ole "know the rhyme before its time" country victim BS. These lyrics are thoughtful, mature and add depth to a genre all too often light in content. Can't wait for the next album. Since you won't get a free promo copy for your magazine to review, I suggest buying this disc now."

Rootsy country with a wonderful tinge of Phil Ochs

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 07/03/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Though Hawks' debut mixes strong elements of Bakersfield and Austin with a hint of the Beatles (by way of co-North Carolinian Chris Stamey's chiming dB's production touches), the emotional tenor often resounds more of folk singer Phil Ochs. It's not that Hawks tilts at political windmills, it's that he often captures the sort of romanticism Ochs found later in his career. Springsteen's "Tougher Than the Rest" is delivered with a tenderness and intimacy that liberates it from the plodding epicness of the original. Drummer Nate Stalfa's gentle brushes underline the meloncholy in a way that E-streeter Max Weinberg couldn't fathom.The title track provides a powerful barside purge of sadness and frustration, while "Downtown Lights" leans on superb droning, mountain-influenced vocals that bring the pain of unforgettable memories out of the shadows. "When You Tell Me Lies" weds the same sort of wail to a bent, blue melody, ringing mandolin and a New Orleans cadence. Throughout, bandmate and co-producer Danny Kurtz (ex-Backslider/Whiskeytown) adds steady bass and backing vocals, and Mike Krause provides terrifically atmospheric electric guitars such as the sliding moans and wails of "Life and Love.""