CD: The BossHoss – Flames of Fame Live

The BossHoss
Flames of Fame Live [Disk
1]
God Loves Cowboys 5:53
Bullpower 3:44 Eager Beaver 3:33 I Keep on Dancing  5:30
Do It Now 3:58 Whatever
5:00  Polk Salad Annie 9:28  A Little Bit More More More 4:00
What If 4:13 I Say a
Little Prayer 7:17

 And, I thought my wife getting pissed off at
me today was something to quake in my boots about. God Loves Cowboys makes me thank the Almighty that I’m comfortable
on the couch and sure as hell not messing with them . The BossHoss just opens
this one up full-throttle and flips the switch for Bullpower. After these first two songs, I’ve got a bit of advice
for any would-be concert goers keep your pretty little lighters at home. I bet
there are robot dinosaurs launching flamethrowers so close atop the crowd that
half the attendees go home with a taste of singed eyebrows.

            Hold on. I better not rush to any
conclusions. I’ve barely got into the first live disk. I’m going to try to take
it slow. Eager Beaver is a bit mellower
with a great brass section and a heavy bass.  The lyrics tell about a city truck driver, I
can’t tell if it’s supposed to be sarcastic or if it’s written as an anthem for
blue collar drivers. Any which way, if it was meant to come out being sarcastic
what the brass, the bass, and the production put into it gives it an amazing
amount of credence.

            I
Keep on Dancing
reminds me a little of The Ramones. It has a real fast
drumbeat but still has a blaring horn section. This song is one song that is
driven by audience participation. Although it’s lacking in the lyrics, there is
such an energy, and enthusiasm that it crosses it into that genre. I’ve been
reviewing country music for a while now but have never comes across something
like this. So far, this is my, “must listen to song,” for anyone reading this.

Do It Now,
has
really strong chords coming from the guitars. It goes back to that hardcore
sound that the album opens up with. I can see this song being used on a movie
soundtrack, or a surreal late night one night stand. Whatever keeps it going with sirens blaring chasing after you
flying down the back winding roads every once in a while hitting a hill and
launching, your speed never stopping. Polk
Salad Annie
is an older song I can understand how older diehard fans like
it but I really didn’t take to it.
What if changes the entire
tone one of the show. It begins with an acoustic guitar and a harmonic. It’s
more of a beautiful song, with a real focus on its lyrics. This song really
shows off demonstrating the ranges this band can take. I say a little prayer is
another acoustic ballad with the brass and the harmonica taking control of the
song.
I promised myself I wouldn’t try to find out
any information on this band prior to me writing this review and kept it. I
figured I could give a truly honest review. So far, the first Live CD really
exceeded my expectations. I am leaving this review feeling great about this
band and can’t wait until I begin reviewing the second set.
The
BossHoss
Flames
of Fire Disk 2

My Personal Song 4:07 Stallion Battalion 4:07 Backdoor
Man 9:01 Last Day 5:14 Sex on Legs 4:40 Rodeo Radio 3:15 Don’t Give me That 4:15
Hey Ya 10:58 Mary Marry Me 6:16 Word up 12:33

My Personal
Song,
is
a great title for how I feel about what’s coming. It’s Christmas Time and that
means I’ll be overrun by family and family events. I just hope the majority of
the time I can barricade myself into this room. Yet, I don’t believe that’ll be
possible with a vacation coming. The lyrics themselves add the feelings I have.
“I’m happy when I’m blue, when I’m alone….” I think I’ll just walk around when
I leave my cave, with this song on replay, headphones (mot those damn
earplugs), and my sunglasses on. I already have to wear blue mirrored, UV
protection, prescription sunglasses. The glasses are an added benefit to brain
surgery, although I don’t recommend getting it.

          Stallion
Battalion,
kicks CD 2 into overdrive. I guess the first song is just
preparing you for what’s to come. The drums are driving this song almost into
metal. It’s more my style of music. I don’t know how this could be perceived as
country music. Backdoor Man has a
heavy harmonica, driven by a dark bass, and an evil guitar. The vocals on this
band remind me of, “Danzig.”

          Last
Day
sounds like it has a brass section. I really could see this as a
highway driving album, or one of those CD’s you play before a rugged night out
in a distant city painting the entire club scene red. Sex on Legs, I just had to listen to it for its name. This song you
could just imagine the scene; a bunch of girls just throwing it around to the
saxophone, bending over in skimpy clothes, turning their heads and calling you
over with their fingers. Damn, I need to move on, take a cold shower and shake
my head out of this.

          Well Rodeo Radio may classify them as country. Let’s see. Yeah, I can
picture a Rodeo under storm clouds in a dessert with tumbleweeds rolling
through. Large scorpions and weird desert lizards, some black rattlesnakes and
maybe dancing around with Native American war paint tripping on peyote is
easily pictured in my brain.

          Don’t
Give Me That,
just proves what I’ve been saying. They classify themselves
as rock and roll in the lyrics. Hey Ya, is
somewhat intermission at first.  It picks
up a little but it really just sounds like they are killing time. I guess you
could consider it a jam. Mary Marry Me, is
a ballad about a girl the singer met after a show I believe. She must have hung
up on him and just wasn’t interested anymore. She was probably a groupie at one
time. I love the trumpet that comes out, or whatever type of lone horn. This
song is a great deal different than any of the other songs that I’ve heard. The
singer and the horn make this song.

Word Up is the last song. The
sax comes out front blowing out a tune that I’m sure everyone’s heard. Then it
stops and the singer starts introducing a few musicians, says, “one more.”  Then it begins. Everyone knows this song but I
know I’ve never heard it this fast, in this style. And, then…..one by one the
musicians are introduced. The congas come first in an amazing jam. Next, out
comes the snare.  The crowd gets
involved. And so on and so on. This is the perfect ending for this show.

          Altogether, this show would have been
amazing to attend. The CD’s themselves really make you picture you’re there.
Going into this and all the way along I never went back to check them out. But,
they have made a new fan and I’ll be following them along on their way. 



Jeremy Frost for Country Music News International

Related Posts

Taylor Austin Dye – Out of These Hills

By Madison Monroe for Country Music News International Magazine

Eddie Noack – Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

By Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine

Tracy Byrd – The Definitive Collection

By Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine

Bayou Alligators – A Barrel Of Blues

By Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *