FIVE OUTSIDERS
ON THE RUN
Track Listing:
| MP3 | New Outfit | |
| Peacemaker | ||
| Caveman | ||
| Moonshine Rider | ||
| Stompin' At The Bar | ||
| Straight Jacket | ||
| El Caballero Negro | ||
| Highway Man | ||
| Ridin' South | ||
| The Undertaker | ||
| El Hobo | ||
| The Showdown |
Reviews:
| CONTINENTAL #13 |
| This, without a doubt, is in the top 3 CDs received for review this issue. This 5-member combo from Sweden performs an equal mix of spaghetti western and surf on this 12-track release. If you're a fan of The Hellbenders, The Sadies or The Penetrators you will definitely find something to enjoy here. The songs are very well-written and the guitars, bass, drums and occasional sax are all played to perfection throughout. It was really cool that a small U.S. record label, especially one that prior to this release had not released any surf/instro music, decided to make this available. Perhaps it's a sign that this kinda music is becoming more accepted by the mainstream. In any case, I highly recommend this release - I've played it over and over the last week or so and I'm still not sick of it! |
| RAZORCAKE #27 |
| Soft and reverb-soaked cowpoke instrumental vistas as wide open as the high plains, drifting along like so many tumbleweeds. It's kind of like having the Ventures play the theme songs from all your favorite spaghetti westerns while you sit in a warm bathtub, smoking a ratty cigar with your cowboy boots on. Surprisingly refreshing. I bet it would go good with a bottle of Mescal. |
| PIPELINE #67 (UK) |
| Acme is a new label to me and it was a big surprise to find this American outlet featuring a non-surf European instrumental group. The Shadows are the only precedent on CD I believe. The Five Outsiders hail from Gothenburg, Sweden and have a basic two guitars, bass and drums line-up enhanced by sax and tambourine from their fifth member. The sax is not used continuously but just on some numbers for a solo or some support work. Their style is western based with elements of cowboy themes and spaghetti western influences to the fore. The guitars ring clean and true and every track is built around a decent melody. These are all group originals but they are easily accesible on first listen and continue to grow on you over successive plays. There's a definite sixties feel to the album which is extremely playable all the way through. As each western tune gives way to a galloping rocker or a spagwest theme, the standard remains high and in total keeping with the overall project. The only major contrast comes with a short, two-minute hoedown on Stompin' At The Bar. Otherwise we're talking serious, and seriously good, rock guitar instrumentals all the way. On The Run is an outstanding 12-track western album. It's a more dynamic modern equivalent of Dream Of The West, yes - it is that good, and I highly recommend it to all fans of the genre. For only $10 post paid worldwide it's a snip. |
| REVERB CENTRAL |
| This is a really fine release from a Swedish band new to my ears. The music is spaghetti western surf and more, often quite original. I found myself liking much of this album a lot. The music is well developed and arranged. Only the drums are not well recorded, but that mostly is not a problem. Some really good writing, and a couple of tracks that fall into the essential category. It's hard not to like this, with it's pony ride surf trip feel and well developed instrumentals. Recommended. 4 out of 5 stars. |
| NEW GANDY DANCER #75 (UK) |
| ...I'm delighted to say we have a crackerjack release to talk about. Superb, big guitars and drums, western style music from The Five Outsiders which fans of the genre will just love. It's a huge sound with occasional touches of sax to make it different and all originals! The music although it's all brand new, brings back all those big movie memories of things like The Magnificent Seven, the spaghetti smashes, and those western TV shows like Paladin, Bonanza and so on. The twang is definitely the thang here with the originals moving from the dark, haunting western landscapes to the lively, energetic and highly listenable interpretations. Excellent musicianship throughout on this cracking CD. Best cut: El Hobo. |
| PEACEDOGMAN.COM |
| The album art and song titles of the Five Outsiders' "On the Run" imply dirt-road outlaw country. The Swedish names of these outsiders points to something a little different, however, as does the listing of saxophone as part of the instrumental lineup. These boys come from the land of the ice and snow, from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. In fact this is instrumental surf-rock with a cinematic, spaghetti western aesthetic; the west by way of the northern imagination. While cowboys and Vikings may seem quite foreign to each other, Viking battles with the Skrælings of Newfoundland predate the cowboy-Indian conflict by centuries. So in a sense these Norsemen are regaining their own American frontier past, and updating it with reverb. "New Outfit" rides a sleek surf-rock groove that makes me wish I was driving on an empty freeway. It reminded me of the Pixies' cover of the theme from NARC. "Peacemaker" introduces commanding sax to the propulsive mix, while "Moonshine Rider" features some tuneful whistling in addition to a marching-band beat. My only complaint would be a degree of sameness to the affair, but then the album as singular atmosphere was probably the band's intent. While not earth-shattering, fans of the Shadows, the Hellbenders, Dick Dale and the Ventures will find this an instrumental bonanza, and "On the Run" is appropriate background music for drifters all kinds. |
| HEARTATTACK #46 |
| At various times this sounded like the soundtrack to a '60s surf movie, the soundtrack to a spaghetti western, and something you might hear at a hoedown. What you get is electric, non-distorted guitars with lots of reverb, drumming that alternates between a driving surf-rock sort of rhythm and a marching/galloping feel, and saxophone overlaid at strategic points. There are no vocals. This is well put-together but not being all that interested in these genres I can't really say that I liked it, but someone who's into this sort of thing probably would. |
| HARÐKJARNI ONLINE (ICELAND) |
| Fyrst: damn gott að sjá Acme aftur í gírnum, gefandi út hágæða dót óháð í hvaða "flokk" tónlistin gæti fallið. The Five Outsiders eru svo sannarlega óflokkanlegir, rétt eins og Acme. Ef þú fílar sörf eða tónlist úr vestra myndum, snýrð svo upp á það allt saman og gerir ögn nútímalegra, spilað af kostgæfni og mikilli hæfni í góðum hljóm, þá er þetta málið. Allur diskurinn er án söngs. Þetta er að virka. Manni finnst manni vera svalari en allt þegar maður hlustar á þetta. Maður er outsider af því að maður einn er með þá á hreinu. Tónlistin hér er afskaplega vönduð og spilagleðin drýpur úr hátölurunum. Þetta er tónlist sem spila skal þegar brýr eru brenndar og aldrei litið til baka. Vona að The Five Outsiders verði næsta költ. En þar sem ekkert réttlæti er í heiminum þá mun það ekki gerast. En þú getur verið nokkrum skrefum á undan og verið ógeðslega cool, einn/ein með eintak af On The Run. |
Pressing history:
| FORMAT | PRESSING | DATE | QUANTITY | DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC |
| CD | 1 | December 2004 | 1000 |