Nominated by: Big G
Music club: Wander to Wozza's
Playlist addition: Honky Tonk Angel
I well remember seeing The Topp Twins, national treasures, in concert - they were larger than life and able to project their brand of Kiwiana country to the whole audience. They were a lot of fun! That was in the late seventies.
How would they go as a straight (ahem) country act on a long player in the new millennium though? That's a whole other cheese ball of enchiladas.
Full disclosure - I am less inclined to their brand of comedy schtick, so I was not amongst their TV audience.
When they do their country and western (yes, both types) straight (you know what I mean - no pun or double entendre intended), and without the yodeling thanks, I am with them.
Their comedy routines (Holy Cow) don't do it for me and a whole album's worth of their songs is more than I can take at one sitting, to be fair. Let's face it - they are not the greatest solo vocalists. They get by on good will and somehow they managed to tap into the kiwiana zeitgeist of the last century.
This whole album sounds like a few too many songs and the last song is too slow for a closer.
Comedy yee har songs like Holy Cow seldom work. Once heard and enjoyed, they quickly become too familiar and outstay their welcome.
But when the twins are on, they are terrific in their own way. Their harmonies mostly lock in and become endearing. The country backing with pedal steel and acoustic instruments sets a familiar scene - that's a good thing!
Topp moments (see what I did there) for me on this 2009 set are the title song - it gets things off to a cracking pace, Palomino Moon (even with the yodeling), Town This Size (has a nice easy lope going on with some fiddle action), and Milestones.
The only surprise is that Kevy didn't pick this before you - bet he's kicking himself!
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