If you’re a fan of pickers, you’re going to love this completely enjoyable and completely unclassifiable collection of tunes. The Finnish band Southpaw Steel “n” Twang (did they grow up watching “Hee Haw” reruns or something?) consists of Ville Leppanen, who plays just about anything with strings, a body and frets, Tero Mikkonen on drums and JP Monkkonen who picks the electric and upright bass.
What they end up doing is creating a Smorgasbord of jams and tunes, ranging from a blues rocking “Red” to a wacka-wooka Shaft funky “Bayou” and ending up with a Nashville Skylined “Still,” with banjos, Strats and pedal steels all vying for a front row seat. Some real fun picking takes place on “Butterscotch” while you’re taken to the Hawaiian Islands via the ukulele during “Secret Sunset,” all the while feeling like you’re on a musical Disney ride taking you to various parts of America, especially n the vocals during “Steel ‘n’ Twang and the rockabilly “the Game.” Here’s a perfect gift for someone that loves the guitar, but isn’t a snob about it. These gents are eager to please.