Marti Brom

Marti Brom

Wise to You! (Goofin) There's a reason why Marti Brom has always had a following in Europe; European rockabilly fans are rabid about traditional styles, and Brom has always delivered plenty of swingin' 1959-era rock their way. There's plenty of greaser stuff to be had this time around, certainly, but Brom also branches out a little on this outing. The kickoff is Teri Joyce's Eddie Cochranish "That Crazy Beat," but the follow-up, "I Changed My Mind Jack," smacks of Sixties snazz to the point of including (heaven forfend!) a fuzz bass sound. Song selection leans toward traditional rockabilly; Dave Dudley's "Why Are You Saving Your Kisses," Austinite Chris Miller's "Don't Stop," and Leiber & Stoller's "You're the Boss," featuring a swank appearance by Ted Roddy. But there are a few that are decidedly off-beam, too. Brom croons Ray Davies' haunting "I Go to Sleep," Nick Curran adds some aggressive bluesy guitar on "Great Shakin' Fever," and there's the swampy "Fallin'" as well. About the only clunker on the disc is the awkward "I've Got That Lovin' Bug Itch," a song that tries a little too hard to be coy and cute. The playing is, of course, uniformly excellent, and the production and mastering are seamless. It's nice to hear Marti Brom branch out from the Janis Martin/Wanda Jackson territory she's trod for the last several years. Will it alienate her fans? Not if they know what's good for 'em.