There is no sophomore jinx for The 44s, whose Rip Cat Records CD Americana is scheduled for an April 17^th release date. The album is a big step forward for this Southern California based band.

Their first outing, Boogie Disease sounded like ‘the Red Devils meets Kid Ramos’. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but Americana reflects more of the band’s own emerging personality. They offer up 11 originals and just two covers. Ramos is, again, at the helm as producer. His guitar can be heard all over this fine CD.  It is however the band’s vocalist and guitarist, Johnny Main, who comes across as the star on this outing. Bassist Mike Turturro, drummer J.R. Lozano and harmonica player Tex Nakamura round out this band which has broken out of the local scene here in Southern California and just returned from their second tour.

This record also benefits greatly by the album’s other special guest, tenor saxophone monster Ron Dziubla. If you are a fan of the 44s, you will also appreciate the album’s generous helping of music. At 13 songs and 54 minutes, there is simply more music to enjoy than in their debut release. On Americana the band spreads its wings and takes a more varied, multi-textured approach to their music. The 44s have come a very long way, very quickly.

Hanging Tree opens the proceedings, a John Lee Hooker-style endless boogie that is a tune full of blues iconography. On Lady Luck the band then makes a sharp left hand turn and offers up to their listeners some soul infused blues as they are joined by Ron Dziubla’s horns. Cocaine is a standard 12 bar blues shuffle that fits neatly into the number three slot before the band segues into a Sun Records’ style rockabilly beat on the next track, Dixie.

She’s Poison is a hypnotic aural assault that, at nearly six minutes, sounds like it was thrown into the mix to be a vehicle for Main and Nakamura to stretch out and flex their chops. The tune is bound to be a crowd pleaser in concert, but on Americana it may be the album’s weakest link.  

Pleading My Case is an Elmore James style tune with Ramos on bottle neck slide. The band has its feet firmly planted in Chicago’s south side circa 1952 for this number.

Johnny Main opens the tune Mr. Operator with some very tasteful guitar playing and then lets his self assured vocals shine, while the rhythm section of Turturro and Lozano lend solid, yet very sympathetic, support to this slow blues ballad. The tune fades with an interesting guitar solo that features some surprising tremolo work that sounds as if Ike Turner is playing on a Ventures album. It is a very creative and interesting choice by Main that works.

The next track, You’ll Be Mine is a Willie Dixon penned classic often played by bands either trying to replicate famous versions by Howlin’ Wolf or Stevie Ray Vaughan. To the 44s credit they thankfully don’t ride down either of those well worn paths. The band chose to put a Stax flavored snap as their own brand on this old war horse.

On the tune Slip Slidin’ Thing it is Main this time who pulls out the bottle neck. 99 To Life is a dance floor’s nightmare as cowboy boots and high heels will pound the hell out the boards. This Texas shuffle has a relentless and infectious beat.

Hard Times is the album’s lone acoustic number and is a welcome sorbet. The inclusion of this acoustic, country blues style tune gives the album yet another dimension that again is a giant leap forward for this band. This song feels like a soft, gentle kiss on the cheek after a passionate, pelvic pounding round of romantic revelry.

Mr. Highway Man returns the band back to more familiar ground with their take on an old Howlin' Wolf tune. The album closes with another tune that features the Ron Dziubla horns. The song Hold On has Main’s guitar soaring over a solid bed of rhythm guitar by Ramos. The greasy back beat by Turturro and Lozano also help to make this tune five minutes of pure blues bliss with just a hint of soul courtesy of the Dziubla horns.

The bottom line here is that this band has chosen not rest on its laurels. Their debut album Boogie Disease was very well received. The 44s however made the decision not to try and recycle a successful formula but to grow as artists. Americana proves that they are not only a solid live performing ensemble, but are an emerging force to be reckoned with in the studio as well. Americana serves notice that the 44s are driving down the blues highway at a break neck speed and are going in the right direction.  

- David Mac