Cheap Wine

This double album is Cheap Wine's first official live release adding to their canon of seven previous albums during their 16 or so years together.
Although they're an all Italian band, all songs are sung in English, and they sound like they've emerged from the plains of the mid West. Whilst they're a rock band in the traditional sense, with vocals, guitars, drums, bass and keyboards, they convey a sense of artistic style that makes them stand out from the plethora of artists peddling their wares.
Containing over two hours of music and 21 songs taken from their back catalogue and of which 19 were written by the main protagonists, the Diamantini brothers, this album covers a wider gamut that takes their music out of the expected rock spectrum and veers them on occasions into Americana territory. Obviously influenced by Springsteen and Neil Young, who have 'Youngstown' and 'Rocking In The Free World' covered respectively, Cheap Wine don't rest on the same old tired clichés so many other bands rely on. 'Among The Stones' introduces some dobro, which adds to what would have been otherwise a fairly routine song; the interplay with the instrument and the lead vocals brings it to life. 'Evil Ghost' rocks like its life depends on it, with some excellent searing lead guitar, after a tranquil start.
This seems to be Cheap Wine's modus operandi, starting quietly and peacefully, with a penchant for ballads, which and build into arena rockers. They give 'Youngstown' a run for its money and have managed to outrock even Springsteen.
Proving that they're not wedded to their modus operandi, 'Reckless' kicks off loud and proud, and doesn't give any quarter as it rampages through the set list. Following in quick succession, 'Time For Action' continues in the same vein, whereas 'Snakes' brings back more shade, without losing the rawk!
I'm at a loss as to why I hadn't heard of these guys until now, but I'm off to check out their back catalogue. You'd be wise to do so too.
[ Phil Edwards – AMERICANA UK ]

- Americana UK

This double album is Cheap Wine's first official live release adding to their canon of seven previous albums during their 16 or so years together.
Although they're an all Italian band, all songs are sung in English, and they sound like they've emerged from the plains of the mid West. Whilst they're a rock band in the traditional sense, with vocals, guitars, drums, bass and keyboards, they convey a sense of artistic style that makes them stand out from the plethora of artists peddling their wares.
Containing over two hours of music and 21 songs taken from their back catalogue and of which 19 were written by the main protagonists, the Diamantini brothers, this album covers a wider gamut that takes their music out of the expected rock spectrum and veers them on occasions into Americana territory. Obviously influenced by Springsteen and Neil Young, who have 'Youngstown' and 'Rocking In The Free World' covered respectively, Cheap Wine don't rest on the same old tired clichés so many other bands rely on. 'Among The Stones' introduces some dobro, which adds to what would have been otherwise a fairly routine song; the interplay with the instrument and the lead vocals brings it to life. 'Evil Ghost' rocks like its life depends on it, with some excellent searing lead guitar, after a tranquil start.
This seems to be Cheap Wine's modus operandi, starting quietly and peacefully, with a penchant for ballads, which and build into arena rockers. They give 'Youngstown' a run for its money and have managed to outrock even Springsteen.
Proving that they're not wedded to their modus operandi, 'Reckless' kicks off loud and proud, and doesn't give any quarter as it rampages through the set list. Following in quick succession, 'Time For Action' continues in the same vein, whereas 'Snakes' brings back more shade, without losing the rawk!
I'm at a loss as to why I hadn't heard of these guys until now, but I'm off to check out their back catalogue. You'd be wise to do so too.
[ Phil Edwards – AMERICANA UK ]

- Americana UK

Probably the most established band of the fertile Italian Americana circuit, Pesaro's Cheap Wine - who take their name from a song by Green On Red rather than The Cockney Rejects - are now on their ninth album since their formation back in 1997.
"Based On Lies" takes its title from the notion that, while many fictional books and movies are "based on a true story", the real world is a tissue of deceit concocted by mass media manipulation. Probably some truth there. Wholly from the prolific pen of frontman Marco Diamantini, despite certain country-rockin' influences, notable on "The Big Blow", the album packs a heavy punch thanks to the searing guitar of Michele Diamantini. Leaping from the starting gate with the Husker Du-like "Breakaway", the band really open the throttle for "Lost Inside", driven by a three-note wheezy psych organ riff.
Meanwhile, a little bit of shade comes in the form of the unusually easy-listening ballad "On The Way Back Home" and the brooding epic "The Vampire".
Hopefully leading to much greater recognition, on this evidence, their previous eight releases would be well worth checking out.
[ Gerry Ranson – R2 Rock'n'Reel] - R2 Rock'n'Reel

It's tricky, I get that. The blurb that comes with an album, it needs to set the tone, entice, reveal and make you go, "ace! I want to the hear this". Records are personal, snap shots of a moment, a record of a time, some chums come together, do some stuff, it sounds like this, and we like it do you? I get that.
The guff that came with this was such BS, like some kind of manifesto, Mr Bragg once said "mixing pop and politics they asked me what the use is". Unless you're Woody, probably best to avoid it boys, stick to sounding like Psychedelic Furs or Blondie, you're all the better for it. You want the music to look like the artwork; same feel, this looks like a scary kid's book – not 'Where the Wild Things Are', but something that was later revealed to have some dark unpleasant code; think Lewis Carol.
So to the music: I guess that English isn't their first language, Italian is. This is no hindrance. I loved the Knopfler solo in track 2, "Waiting on the Door", very 'Sultans..', and very good.
The album opener is fantastic; loud, brash, urgent – screaming "listen to me, listen to me". That's good; calls you in. The vocal is part JJ Cale part bloke from the Levellers, with a touch of Cousteau about them. The mix is good; drums up, not buried in the back like an afterthought (and has some decent brush work).
The musicality is nice "Lovers Grave" has both a nice break down, complete with gravel vocal, plus a fadeaway vocal into full effect guitar solo, melting the two together.
I'm not a piano fan, but the Hornsby feel and honky tonk touches are just the ticket. The interplay with Michele Dimantini's guitar is class, and shows a band at the top of their game. This is a band I want to see live, I want to sing those "la-la-la-las" on "Give me Tom Waits", deep in the catacombs of an Italian club. Sweaty, wall running, stood on a beer-sticky floor.
[ Rudie Humphrey – AMERICANA UK ] - Americana UK

It's tricky, I get that. The blurb that comes with an album, it needs to set the tone, entice, reveal and make you go, "ace! I want to the hear this". Records are personal, snap shots of a moment, a record of a time, some chums come together, do some stuff, it sounds like this, and we like it do you? I get that.
The guff that came with this was such BS, like some kind of manifesto, Mr Bragg once said "mixing pop and politics they asked me what the use is". Unless you're Woody, probably best to avoid it boys, stick to sounding like Psychedelic Furs or Blondie, you're all the better for it. You want the music to look like the artwork; same feel, this looks like a scary kid's book – not 'Where the Wild Things Are', but something that was later revealed to have some dark unpleasant code; think Lewis Carol.
So to the music: I guess that English isn't their first language, Italian is. This is no hindrance. I loved the Knopfler solo in track 2, "Waiting on the Door", very 'Sultans..', and very good.
The album opener is fantastic; loud, brash, urgent – screaming "listen to me, listen to me". That's good; calls you in. The vocal is part JJ Cale part bloke from the Levellers, with a touch of Cousteau about them. The mix is good; drums up, not buried in the back like an afterthought (and has some decent brush work).
The musicality is nice "Lovers Grave" has both a nice break down, complete with gravel vocal, plus a fadeaway vocal into full effect guitar solo, melting the two together.
I'm not a piano fan, but the Hornsby feel and honky tonk touches are just the ticket. The interplay with Michele Dimantini's guitar is class, and shows a band at the top of their game. This is a band I want to see live, I want to sing those "la-la-la-las" on "Give me Tom Waits", deep in the catacombs of an Italian club. Sweaty, wall running, stood on a beer-sticky floor.
[ Rudie Humphrey – AMERICANA UK ] - Americana UK