DigiVintage records Ltd.

Todd Moore's review of Outlaw Blues Revolution

The portrait of the Outlaw is not complete without the necessary image and duende of Tony Moffeit. I could mention POETRY IS DANGEROUS, THE POET IS AN OUTLAW, as being one of the important founding texts of Outlaw Poetry. I could mention PUEBLO BLUES, LUMINOUS ANIMAL, NEON PEPPERS. I could write that BLUES FOR BILLY THE KID is Moffeit’s ongoing apocalyptic novel journey into the interior of the darkly affable Billy and also himself. If Vladimir Mayakovsky were writing a novel about The Kid this would be it. Because it takes a kind of hyper punk duende to produce a book like this. And, it takes a hyper punk duende souped to the max to make a cd like OUTLAW BLUES REVOLUTION.

For as long as I’ve known Tony Moffeit, I’ve also been very much aware that as well as writing poetry, Moffeit performs his poems and writes original songs as well. His influences are almost too numerous to mention but try Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan and you’ll almost certainly come close. However, Moffeit is no wannabe and I think he masterfully demonstrates that with this cd. OUTLAW BLUES REVOLUTION consists of twelve very tightly written blues songs and they are all sung in the fire scorched voice of Tony Moffeit. It’s difficult to accurately describe the way he sounds. But, it reminds me of the way burnt blood would sound if it had a voice to describe what it was. Burnt blood, seared blood, scorched blood, the stuff that Lorca was puking up when that last slug hit him. The spit coming out of Hank Williams’ mouth when he died in the back seat of that caddy. This is the human voice sand papered, sliced, diced, and all scratched to hell.

If you asked me to pick out a favorite cut on this cd I couldn’t do it, though I do love “I want the bones,” “voodoo casanova,” “wanted dead or alive,” “give me the night,” “stones in my pocket.” But the energy level for the entire cd holds up all the way through. This is the kind of music that just doesn’t play itself out for you to be entertaining. It’s not wallpaper music, it’s not casual listening. This is the kind of music you can drink to in a nearly dark room. And, darkness really is the way you should listen to this music because it is all about darkness, it is all about Outlaw, it is all about driving right to the edge of the edge of america.

The key to OUTLAW BLUES REVOLUTION is that it really isn’t just about itself as a blues cd. What it is is a blues duende, a gravel on gravel sound of where america is right now. Where we all are. The shit and the glory. The railroad track deadline in Dodge City, Kansas, Pirates Alley in New Orleans where Chicken Man has conjured himself back for one more go round, lightning bolts streaking adobe walls in Taos. “The real revolution lies deeper.” This is a line from the Tough Love cut. And, this is also the essence of Outlaw.

OUTLAW BLUES REVOLUTION, like ADVENTURES IN THE GUNTRADE, like PLAIN OLD BOOGIE LONG DIVISION, like DILLINGER, is a watershed moment in the Outlaw Revolution, one of the definitions that america has been waiting for all of its badass drifter history. Rick Terlep plays his heart and guts out on Outlaw guitar. He burns down the songs. Fifteen bucks is a small price to pay for all the dark miracles on that Outlaw ride.