COMPULSIVE GAMBLERS
Live and Deadly (Sympathy 4 The Radio Industry)
Reviewed by Alan Wright

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Now this is quite a treat. A live CD recorded in Memphis and Chicago. Great sound, a great batch of songs. If you're unaware of who these guys are, they were the band that Jack Yarber and Greg Cartwright had prior to forming the Oblivians with Eric Goner. After the Oblivians split, Greg and Jack got the Gamblers up and running again, and released Bluff City and the excellent Crystal Gaze Luck Amazing album. Some sporadic live shows happened, and here's the result. This is great, and all my faves are here: "Way Down In That Hole," "Sour and Vicious Man," Stop and Think It Over," "Wait A Bit Joe," "Pepper Spray Boogie" and much more. These guys are equally adept at mournful ballads as they are at rockers, and the playing here shows. Unlike the stripped-down approach of the Oblivians, the Gamblers include bass, pedal steel keyboards and even trumpet in the mix. This is really good!

© 2003 - Alan Wright