PureVolume

Kingsport Times review


There's a long tradition of white rockers who claim to be "influenced" by the rural, black bluesmen of the pre-World War II era. In shorter supply are rockers who pay homage to the period's white bluesmen.

Creech Holler looks to change that. The trio Jeff Zentner (vocals, clawhammer banjo, bottleneck guitar), Christian Brooks (drums, tambourine, foot stomps, vocals) and Kingsport native Joseph Campbell (bass, melodica, vocals) sees white hillbilly musicians such as Southwest Virginia's Dock Boggs as being on equal blues footing with Robert Johnson and his black contemporaries. Their debut album merges the string-band tradition with electric blues-rock, thus sounding like the missing link between Southern Appalachia and classic rock radio.

In Creech Holler's hands, "Pretty Polly" is rescued from the clutches of bluegrass and given the kind of eerie treatment normally reserved for "Crossroads." Ditto Boggs' spooky "Country Blues," transformed here into a frenetic juke blues. String-band staples like "Little Mattie Grove" and "Wild Bill Jones" have a sinister vibe, as do hypnotic Creech Holler originals like "The Gospel of Judas" and "Black Mountain."

This is fierce, dark, passionate music that should be investigated by fans of the contemporary garage-band movement.

Creech Holler will appear at Ireson's Pub in Bristol on Saturday, March 3. Also on the bill are The Fury, Heat and Dirty Works. Creech Holler will also be at the Down Home on March 17.

Kingsport Times, Kingsport TN