Search - Morells :: Shake & Push

Funny, Good-Natured, & It Rocks

05/11/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"How's this for an intriguing assortment of musicians: a middle-aged couple (he, once of Arthur "Sweet Soul Music" Conley's band, on bass and guitar; she on keyboards; both sing), a phenomenal guitarist who'd be stiff competition for Dave Edmunds and Brian Setzer if he were based in a city larger than Springfield, Missouri and - on occasional sax - a fellow whose main occupation is producing unconventional country star Boxcar Willie. Guitarist D. Clinton Thompson (who also served in the Ozark Mountain Daredevils) and bassist Lou Whitney (producer of the first Del-Lords LP) have been together in a variety of lineups; the former's superb "Driving Guitars" 45 rescued a swell Ventures tune from obscurity. In the Skeletons and Original Symptoms, they have mined the vaults of rock, R&B and country arcana for some ought-to-have-been classics and the inspiration to pen their own instant winners.The Morells can easily slay most revivalist bands, and Shake and Push proves it with a casualness that's all the more ingratiating. A dozen bars into the second track, if you ain't slobbering on the LP jacket wondering where you're gonna find a dee-luxe greaseburger place like "Red's," then you just ain't American. (The CD adds two outtakes from the original album sessions and in-depth liner notes by Dave Fricke.) - Jim Green/Ira Robbins, Trouser PressThe Morells are a roots-rock outfit formed in Springfield, Missouri in the early '80s by guitarist D. Clinton Thompson (formerly with Arthur Conley) and bassist Lou Whitney, with drummer Ron Gremp and saxophone player Jim Martin. The group released one album, the fine 1982 effort Shake and Push, then Thompson and Whitney later formed the backbone of the Skeletons, the touring band led by Steve Forbert. - John Bush, All Music GuideShake and Push is good-natured old-time rock & roll and rockabilly with a slightly bizarre edge. The lead-off track "Gettin' in Shape," sounds like a Gary U.S. Bonds track from the early '60s until it turns into a Village People disco medley! - William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide"

Truly inspiring revivalist rock and roll

Gavin Mack | Carlsbad, NM | 07/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having grown up in Springfield, Missouri I have been hearing music from Lou Whitney and Donnie Thompson for many, many years. Whitney (the Phil Specter of the Ozarks) and Thompson (the second coming of Scotty Moore) have made a lot of good music over the years, but none better than this off-the-wall revivalist record put out to satisfy the locals.



"Shake and Push" starts with a couple of originals, "Gettin' In Shape", a nod to the fitness craze of the '80's, and "Red's", a memorial to Red's Giant Hamburg, a great hamburger joint that used to be on Route 66 and claimed to have the world's first drive-up window. We are then treated to a litany of obscure covers, ranging from the ridiculous ("Growing A Beard") to the more ridiculous ("Ugly and Slouchy") and everything in between. Especially fun are "Bumble Boogie" (Maralie's turn to show off), "That Mellow Saxophone", and "Big Guitar". Punctuating the entire album are Thompson's guitar solos--some of the best and most tasty you'll ever hear.



This is a band that deserves much, much more than they have gotten. If you can manage to find a copy of this CD, snap it up. You won't regret it."

If There Were A Musical Equivalent Of Mom's Home Cooking...

D.C. Hanoy | Athens, Georgia | 12/26/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fitting somewhere between genuine old-timers and self-conscious revivalists are the Morells -- a quartet (three men, one woman) from Springfield, MO, responsible for this 1982 indie-label gem. If there were a musical equivalent of mom's home cooking, the multi-generational Morells would be it: nothing fancy, just tasty, filling, and a bit on the greasy side. Reissued with two previously unreleased tracks, Shake & Push twists and shouts with more than enough friendly, down-home spirit and polished bar-band musicianship to satisfy any rock & roll soul. B+ -- Ira Robbins, Entertainment Weekly 9/14/90"