DENTED TRUCKS

How’s This

Tailpipe Records

By Linda Cain

The new double CD by Dented Trucks is an ambitious effort. This trio of siblings -- Dianne Wessels on guitar with sister Jenine on drums and brother Ricky on bass -- is nothing if not ambitious. After all, they relocated to Chicago from the Pacific Northwest in the middle of winter in 2010 while driving through blizzards, ice storms and gusting wind to reach the mecca of the blues.

Since then, the family band has been performing at top blues venues like Buddy Guy’s Legends and Kingston Mines. This summer they performed at Chicago Blues Fest.

Which brings us to Dented Trucks’ self-produced sophomore release, a double CD titled How’s This. Disc 2 was recorded live at their June 7, 2013 set at the world’s largest free blues festival in Grant Park. The disc features 10 songs – four originals and six tastefully re-arranged covers of songs made famous by Big Mama Thornton (“Ball n’ Chain”), Buddy Guy (“Mary Had A Little Lamb”), Albert Collins (“Tremble”) and others. The band puts their own spin on these classic tunes, jamming throughout. The trio’s original tunes fit in nicely with the flow of the set. Dianne’s playing is the focus of the music and she’s one guitar slingin’ mama, whose playing ranges from lyrical and melodic to stinging and fiery with some serious bluesy note bending.

Disc 1 opens with the title track, an instrumental original that can best be described as funky, bluesy psychedelic. Dianne ventures into Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland as she pulls all manner of guitar tricks out of her bag – everything from feedback and distortion to stomping on every effects pedal she owns to working that wah wah pedal and whammy bar. It’s a real tour-de-force for Dianne; however, How’s This, abruptly ends before it really goes anywhere. Perhaps it was not the best song to kick off the double CD.

There are many other enjoyable tracks on Disc 1 (nine total) to listen to. Dented Trucks recreates songs by Big Mama Thornton (“Hound Dog”), Steve Cropper (“Bo-Time”), Albert King (“Match Box”), Magic Sam (“He Belongs To Me”) and Howlin’ Wolf (“May I Have A Little Talk With You”) in their own style, which is sort of a cross between Stevie Ray Vaughan and Magic Sam. The trio plays it their own way, yet they retain the retro ‘50s-‘60s sound of the originals. And instead of the usual bluesman machismo, we get a feisty female take on these blues.

Disc One’s three bonus tracks were better left off the CD. Dented Trucks endlessly jamming and launching late night experimental forays into screeching psychedelia and “Are You Experienced” territory doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the music.

How’s This is a hefty project for a young band. They have succeeded in capturing the excitement of their live shows on some of the tracks with their set at Chicago Blues Fest 2013. The audio quality isn’t great but you get the picture. The sound on their studio tracks is far better and these numbers showcase their strengths to better advantage.

          As a newer band on the scene, but with little experience in the studio, Dented Trucks seems to have bitten off a bit more than they can chew by self-producing a double CD this early in their career. A single CD would have made for a better product.

If you have ever seen Dented Trucks perform live, you may find a several tracks that you will enjoy here. This ambitious trio has been working hard to improve their music since their arrival in the Windy City and it shows on How’s This. Now let’s see if an experienced, ambitious producer, who likes to discover new talent, would like to get on board for a ride with Dented Trucks.

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