The Honky Tonk Chateau
The Honky Tonk Chateau
Wire Road WR203


by Al Kunz

How does Slewfoot Records do it? Despite (or maybe because of) being headquartered on the edge of the Ozarks in tiny Crane, MO, they are building an impressive roster of artists: the Morrels, Duane Jarvis, and the Domino Kings to name a few. Recent releases include Kristie Stremel's first full-length solo disc and Hadacol's latest. With The Honky Tonk Chateau, a seven song EP on Slewfoot subsidiary Wire Road Records, the folks from Crane continue to impress with their ability to find and sign talent.

The Honky Tonk Chateau are Matt Netzer on bass, guitarist Mike Stevens, Chris Appleby manning the drum kit, and Sheri Hurst providing vocals with occasional help from Matt. Lou Whitney of the Skeletons contributed his production expertise, as he does for the lion's share of Slewfoot's offerings.

Elton John's classic 1972 album, Honky Chateau, contained an amalgam of musical styles that resulted in pop with a twist. Mixing a healthy dose of this honky-chateau pop with honky tonk yields Honky Tonk Chateau, not crying-in-your-beer music, more like dancing-on-your-barstool music. Band members wrote all the songs, with everyone but Appleby contributing at least one. Sheri Hurst supplied the opening track, "If It Were So."

If it were so
I wasn't supposed to know
How it feels to love

And if it seemed
That I couldn't dream
And I would not find love

Who walked down the street a ways
To a bar where the music plays
Wouldn't be under the sky at night
Inspired by the bright moon light
Let the wind show me how to dance
Wouldn't give love a second chance
And I, and I find you

Matt Netzer jumps in with a coarse, biting vocal on "Running Through My Veins." Hurst's harmony vocals provide a counterpoint to soften Netzer's vocals and take the edge off the punk-inspired drum and guitar accompaniment.

I got you runnin' through my veins tonight
I got you runnin' through my veins
I got you runnin' through my veins, through my veins
I got you runnin' through my veins

Girl you turn my blood to water
When you touch me
Goes into my heart and into my room
Baby, come around and love me

"Don't Walk Away" is undiluted, cry-in-your-beer honky tonk. Hurst mines a traditional honky tonk theme while turning in her strongest vocal performance on the disc.

Don't walk away and leave me now
To someone else's arms
I loved you once and still somehow
Memories are strong

Don't leave me, don't

We all know how hard it seems
For a girl to find the man of her dreams
You may not understand everything
But you know how to make my heart sing

The Chateau give a nod to the '60s with the psychedelic-pop "Guilty" and the Sticky Fingers era Stones country-blues of "Distraction."

Desolation angel
On the hood of your Cadillac
Driving country roads
Screamin' "you're never coming back"

Austin was a blur
New York the same
But when I hit El Paso
Hey, that's when the truth became

I saw the band a couple months back with the Slewfoot Records "Calvacade of Stars" package show. Honky Tonk Chateau was the first act to perform. They were an immediate hit with the audience, packing the dance floor immediately and keeping it full. After their set I had a brief conversation with Matt Netzer and Sheri Hurst and learned that, like several of the Slewfoot artists, the band is based in Springfield, MO, just up the road from Slewfoot headquarters. There was no star attitude from these guys; they were eager to talk to audience members and seemed surprised and pleased when someone purchased a disc. Sheri Hurst even hit the dance floor, two-stepping with several audience members.

Fans of pop with a hint of twang should give this disc a try. For country music fans looking for a change of pace, a combination of pop and country that doesn't sound anything like the dreaded "Hot New Country," give this a listen.

*To reserve your own room at The Honky Tonk Chateau, visit www.slewfootrecords.com Guitarist Mike Stevens tells me that the www.honkytonkchateau.com site is brand new and still evolving. Be sure to visit for dates of future gigs and to watch the site develop.

Contact Al Kunz at kunz-at-rockzilla.net

 
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