Review: Joe Grushecky And The Houserockers – Can’t Outrun A Memory
Joe Grushecky And The Houserockers – Can’t Outrun A Memory
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital / Label: Omnivore Recordings
Release: 2024
Text: Tom Wouters
Joe Grushecky is a part-time musician (his main profession is high school special education educator), who comes from the coal mining country around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA) and made a name for himself mainly in the 70s and 80s with his band The Iron City Houserockers. Since 1989 he has been on the road with his band The Houserockers. During that time he worked with, among others, producers Mick Ronson (Bowie’s sideman) and Little Steven Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen (Springsteen produced Grushecky’s 1995 album ‘American Babylon’).
On ‘Can’t Outrun A Memory,’ Grushecky and his Houserockers show that the influence of the Van Zandt/Springsteen connection on their music is especially evident. The first half of the album is dominated by the New Jersey sound of Springsteen’s E Street Band and especially Little Steven’s Disciples Of Soul (without horns). This produces some pretty nice songs, such as Can’t Outrun A Memory, Just Drive, Sleeping Dog (where Grushecky vocally sounds like outlaw country singer Calvin Russell) and Until I See You Again.
Afterwards, the influence of Mick Ronson and David Bowie on the music becomes tangible in the strong If These Hills Could Talk, but especially in the theatrically sung and played Living In Coal Country, Grushecky and his Houserockers find their own authentic sound. Who’s Fooling Who, Rocked My Soul and bonus track Leave Well Enough Alone also have that sound and are therefore among the highlights on ‘Can’t Outrun A Memory’.
This album is a collection of great 70s rock songs in the tradition of the New Jersey sound of that time.
Tracks:
01. This Is Who We Are
02. Here In ‘68
03. Can’t Outrun A Memory
04. Just Drive
05. Sleeping Dog
06. Unitl I See You Again
07. If These Hills Could Talk
08. We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
09. Living In Coal Country
10. Who’s Fooling Who
11. Rocked My Soul
12. Let’s Cross The Bridge
13. Can’t Outrun A Memory (Coda)
14. Leave Well Enough Alone (Bonus Track)
15. Sleeping Dog (Horn Version) (Bonus Track)
16. Living In Coal Country (Acoustic Version) (Bonus Track)
17. Here In ’68 (Acoustic Version) (Bonus Track)
Website: https://www.joegrushecky.com/