Crankshaft

I happened upon Crankshaft last night, hallelujah. As a Southerner, anyone professing to play anything remotely akin to bluegrass, rockabilly, think-early-Elvis-and-throw-in-a-harmonica-and-a-heavy-beat causes my heart to swell with happiness. 

Crankshaft, who also appears as part of a trio as Crankshaft and the Gear Grinders, is the real deal.  I couldn't help but compare him a bit to JD McPherson, who I also heard recently at First Ave, and it struck me that these two boys could probably rip a couple new holes in their guitars if on stage together. 

We spoke briefly while standing in line for the bathroom and I asked him how he settled on his moniker.  He smiled when he mentioned a family of gear heads and truck drivers and one guttural guitar riff after another, it's clear the name is a perfect fit for his rootsy, grinding sound. It's music you want to swing to, and music that makes you want to make out in the bed of an old Ford.  Maybe that's just me...

Every song is a commitment and I was amazed at how solid he stayed the entire set, a one man show has to be exhausting but he never tired, always kept a balance between a bluesy, heavy croon and that rock-n-roll growl.  He's officially a new favorite, and his Feb. 9th CD release party at Famous Dave's is already on my calendar.

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