Daryl Haywood Combo
  You Treat Me Like A No Good!
Empire Records. EMP-CD-107
You treat me like a no good-Bankrobber-Heartbreak train-If you want to be my baby- Too much alike-Chicken run rock'n'roll-That girl of mine-Good time rag-Crazy rhythm rock -I'm gone baby gone-Red barn boogie-Rocketship to planet love-Tell me-Be my baby-Radar jump
Here is a finnish band who is not afraid to pledge. On the front of their CD entitled “You Treat me Like A No Good” they promise us to find “15 songs of love, lust and misery”! Then, is the challenge won? I will tell you more in a few…
But first, let me introduce you to these braggarts.
After a first self-produced six titles mini-cd in 2004 (“Crazy Rhythm Rock'n'roll”) one of their song (“If You Want To Be My Baby”) was chosen for the first european rockabilly compilation on Empire Records, the “Southern and Rocking” Marc Fenech’s label.
After a change of drummer (Thomas who replaces Harri “Dirty Harry” Tuominen), this combo with Kari Kunas on guitar, Jake Lähdeniemi on bass, guys who already worked in other bands like Rod Benders and Phantom 409, leaded by the singer and songwriter Tero Lehtonen nicknamed “Daryl Haywood” haved finally signed, still for Empire, their first true CD of 15 titles including 13 ones penned by Tero and Kari of which two were already present on their first own-produced mini-Cd (“Crazy Rhythm Rock” and “Red Barn Boogie”).
But I can already hear you answering yourself “God damn, is that bloody Long Tall son- of -a-gun gonna tell us if this CD keep its promises or not!!! Don’t hurry, here I come… The rockabilly style of this combo is very “authentic” and sounds very “fifties” (Decca, Coral and Modern soundings are impossible to forget main references). This album is made up of slow tempos with sensuality, retained violence and hiccups as the first eponymous track which opens the album, the Charlie Feathers “Too Much Alike”cover or the excellent “Crazy Rythm Rock” but mostly of uptempo boppers like “Bank Robber”, “If You Want To Be My Baby”, “I' m Gone Baby Gone”, “Tell Me” “Be My Baby”. There is also a “rocker” track (“Chicken Run Rock' Roll”), a spanish flavoured mid-tempo “Rocketship to Planet Love” and even two instrumentals of which one is pickingful (“Good Time Rag”) and the other is powerful (“Jump Radar”). Daryl’s voice with his slight accent is a kinda mix of a Pat Cupp (there’s a “That Girl Of Mine” cover) Don Woody (on “Heartbreak Train” for example) and Jack Scott (on “Too Much Alike”). And what about the promises made to find “love, lust and misery” ? It is true that all the great rockabilly themes are here: the poor maltreated bloke and cheated by his “baby”, machismo and ”male-independence” (“If You Want To Be My Baby”, “I' m Gone Gone Baby”),crazy and true love (“Rocketship to Planet love”, “Tell Me” “Be My Baby”) wildness and violence in a “Bonnie and Clyde” style (“Bankrobber”), loneliness, train stories (“Heartbreak Train”), fast speed cars and to sprinkle the whole mixture some youth unconcern, alcohol and sex (“Crazy Rythm Rock”, “Chicken Run rock'n'roll' roll”, “Red Boogie Barn”). Nothing really new but the contract is fulfilled with fire, integrity and a communicative pleasure and this is the most important fact, don’t you think so?
Dave "Long Tall" Phisel