CDReview: Johnny Falstaff, Live in Koln

Johnny Falstaff

Live in Koln, Germany

Since getting back stateside, I took it upon myself to enjoy a ‘vacation’ before returning to work.  I decided I wanted to hide in the snowcapped mountains in Aspen. No, I wasn’t there for the X Games as I had hoped, but instead there to finish a manuscript. Yes, in between getting chased by vampires, picking grapes, and visiting exes overseas, I have been working on a couple of books. Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t been globetrotting this past year or so for pure pleasure; it was legitimate moving around trying to make a decent buck here and there. In today’s times, that’s what it takes—a little movin’ and alotta shakin’. Then again, there are others that do this kinda movin’ and shakin’ all the time. One of those guys hails from the Great Lone Star State of Texas. And that “Tall Walkin’ Texas Trash” goes by the name Johnny Falstaff.

Texas just isn’t big enough to hold Johnny Falstaff back when it comes to playing music. He is constantly traveling around here and there, above and abroad, educating people in what true country music should be. With the release of Live in Koln, a show recorded at the Blue Shell this past June, the Texas born and raised road rebel keeps the spirit of true country music alive.  The old school honky tonk sounds from the 60s live on through Falstaff’s music but updated with a modern punch added here and there. His music is true, that is to say, what you hear on studio recordings or in concert is the real deal. Falstaff’s music is stripped down and bare boned not being covered up by modern technology. Don’t let that fool you, it always as strong as a bare knuckled punch. And Falstaff sticks to old school traditions when it comes to song length; most of his average a time of two minutes, with only a few reaching the three minute mark.

Live in Koln opens up with two tracks from Johnny Falstaff’s last studio release, the title track and “One Hand Tied”, which set the pace for this live venture. No one can swing a rockin’ country axe like Falstaff, and his baritone rich voice compliments his six string skills as proven on the afore mentioned tracks and continue on this first recording of the new song “Peek-a-boo” and really apparent on fiery fuelled ender “Falstaff Infection”. In addition to his own brand of modern day honky tonk sound, Johnny hasn’t forgotten where his love for the music came from. Though his love for his musical heroes is reflected in his music, Falstaff also covers some of their music, as he does with Buck Owens’s “Mexican Polka”, and Johnny Paycheck’s “11Month and 29Days”.

And all this brought to you by a man apparently not built for sleep. I say this because in addition to gigging in Germany, Falstaff has many shows to perform through the Lone Star State, and, wrapping up the movie Honky Tonk Blood, a movie sot over the past few years with other fellow Houston musicians. He’s a little bit Shakespeare (Classic and always good), a little bit beer (fun), and all Texan (just damn good and done right). Johnny Falstaff is a many of many faces…sideburns and all.

If you ever wonder why there’s roadwork being done on those Texas highways, it’s probably because Johnny Falstaff wore them out…