Crooked Eye Tommy review…November 15, 2015…

CROOKED EYE TOMMY

BUTTERFLIES AND SNAKES

SELF-RELEASED

CROOKED EYE TOMMY–COME ON IN–I STOLE THE BLUES–TIME WILL TELL–TIDE POOL–SOMEBODY’S GOT TO PAY–LOVE DIVINE–AFTER THE BURN–MAD AND DISGUSTED–OVER AND OVER–SOUTHERN HEART

Crooked Eye Tommy is the brainchild of brothers, guitarists, and vocalists Tommy and Paddy Marsh.  They hail from the Santa Barbara, CA, area, and represented that scene in the 2014 IBC’s in Memphis.  We don’t know how much time the fellows have spent “down South,” but they sure have a feel for the Delta, the deals that go down at the Crossroads, and good ole Southern rock.  They are joined by Glade Rasmussen on bass, Tony Cicero on drums, and Jimmy Calire on sax and keys.

Their debut set is entitled “Butterflies And Snakes,” and is one of the more varied and eclectic sets we’ve had the pleasure of hearing in quite some time, featuring eleven band originals.  “Crooked Eye Tommy” leads off, and comes out swingin.’  it’s Tommy’s autobiography of sorts, as he was born with two “lazy” eyes, but the raging, Delta-fied slide guitar and lyrics that show Tommy as a lover “like a sabre-toothed tiger with the homecoming queen” turn him into a 21st century hoochie coochie man!  “Time Will Tell’ differentiates the sexes, as “women are made of butterflies and snakes, and trying to please one is enough to give a good man the shakes!”

“Tide Pool” and “Love Divine” have a strong Southern-rock vibe and includes some deep guitar interplay that only a brother-to-brother connection can create.  Continuing in that vein, the set closes with a wistful, breezy ode to Skynyrd, Sea Level, Elvin Bishop and all the rest, “I’ve always had a Southern Heart.”

We had three favorites, too.  Paddy wrote the stone-cold shot of “I Stole The Blues,” and name-checks everyone from Muddy to Jerry Garcia as he realizes “it’s time to give ’em back.”  A man who gets the shaft from the government in general is “Mad And Disgusted,” but “they can’t take my music!”  And, another true story from Tommy’s pen deals with the IRS, and, as we all know, whoever has the most money has the power, and “Somebody’s Got To Pay!”

Crooked Eye Tommy successfully bring together the blues of the Delta with the sounds of Southern-fried boogie!  “Butterflies And Snakes” is an excellent debut!  Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.