Rockin’ Chair - The Hunchbacks

Label:	Magic Island Records
Released:	2000
Highlights:	Let It Roll Crazy For Love 3 Flights Down Signal To The Stars Bring It To Jerome

Rating: 8.5/10


Rockin’ Chair is the third and most impressive album from The Hunchbacks, who hail from the same breeding ground as The Celibate Rifles and Asteroid B-612. Like these bands, The Hunchbacks have a penchant for raw, honest and uncompromising rock ‘n’ roll that they couple with their fondness for the blues and R ‘n’ B. Thankfully The Hunchback’s inject enough passion into their covers of Howlin’ Wolf’s Sitting On Top Of The World and Bo Diddley’s Bring It To Jerome to prevent themselves from becoming the pale white-boy blues imitations that one might expect.

Regardless, it is the band’s original material is of real interest. The majority of the songs are straight ahead rockers, in a New Christs vein. However, The Hunchbacks also manage to demonstrate their sensitive side by including several slower songs, such as the touching From Your Window and the sad Later Never Comes, both of which sound strongly influenced by The Bamboos.

Despite the wide range of styles and emotions on Rockin’ Chair, The Hunchbacks pull them all off with ease, thanks primarily to the great voice of Carl Elkman and the no frills playing of guitarists Michael Klarenaar and John South.. My only complaint with Rockin’ Chair is that the sound is a little thin but this album is still A grade all the way.


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