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The Review - MUSIC - grooves with RóISíN GADELRAB
Published: 24 September 2009

Dan Sartain

Talented Sartain shows he’s no counterfeit Cash

REVIEW: DAN SARTAIN
Lexington

DAN Sartain has been described as the pint-sized Johnny Cash, but it’s a lazy description that does neither man much justice.
The Alabama garage rockabilly balladeer’s sound owes as much to 1970s Alice Cooper, blues and that other 1950s Horton – Johnny – as to the Man in Black.
In the US he’s opened for The White Stripes and won a cult following here for albums Dan Sartain v The Serpientes and Join Dan Sartain.
Tonight he takes a pleasing amount of requests and runs through songs surely destined for his long-awaited follow-up.
Favourites like Replacement Man, I Could Have Had You and Drama Queens come quickly before Sartain is joined on stage by his band for new songs Hungry End, Yes Men, and new single Bohemian Grove (released on Jack White’s much-hyped Third Man Records label) and B-side Atheist Funeral.
The newer tracks generally seemed melodious, varied and a step beyond the raucous DIY flick-knife rock of earlier Sartain.
Impeccably smart and slicked-back, Sartain himself looked a cleaner version of the wild-eyed rocker who tore through Water Rats a couple of years ago.
Then back to oldies such as the slightly sinister Young Girls before the evening blazed totally into life for stomping closer Mississippi.
All in all, an intriguing blend of old and new and a tantalising taster for an album that’s been three years in the coming.
An honourable mention for the stripped-back rock of support band Toe Hammer, who clearly have a fond affection for Led Zeppelin.
ALAN STAFFORD

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