Album Notes

'The Damnation Twist' is a new original album by The Wagon Train led by guitar/lap steel player + writer Steven 'Billy' Buckley and is a compelling mix of old and new styles that feels like it belongs to a soundtrack for a film as-yet to be made.

Co-produced with hammond C-3/Wurlizer/keyboard man Steve Brown (Corinne Bailey Rae), 'The Damnation Twist' is an album that not only embraces several past decades of influence, it also shows the contemporary influences of today's classic songsmiths such as Tom Waits, Calexico, Portishead and Beck. The album opens with the driving bass line and spooky tubular bells of 'The Witchdoctor' - a sure nod to Santo + Johnny, Link Wray, John Barry, Duane Eddy, Lee Hazlewood, cumulating in a climatic ending over a repeated melodic refrain with the Lap Steel providing an eerie quality to the piece. The rockabilly influence is given full credit with the sick twang of 'Venom' - an enraged lament to a lost motorcycle, the pumping stroller 'I can't help it (I still love you)' and the fast + furious 'Clap Hands' featuring the virtuosic slap double bass of rockabilly master Martyn Savage. Current influences mix with the old on the title Track 'The Damnation Twist' where drummer Luke Flowers (The Cinematic Orchestra, Corinne Bailey Rae) engages flautist Gareth Lockrane in a positively brutal battle, held calm in places by the string section led by Richard Curran, all held in place by the driving, twanging lines of Billy and double bassist Matt Owens.
With every track, The Wagon Train seem to swing as easily to a different beat. One trick ponies they are not. Cry-in-your-beer country music ('Horse;Second Gear' + 'Dustbowl Ballerina') that wouldn't sit far from an old Marty Robbins B-side, is given its respect and with the etheral Psychedelia of Llano Estacado following the rollercoaster title track, breathing space is duly given. And again with a change in pace and emotion, the deep rhythmic ballad 'Omara' dedicated to the Cuban chanteuse Omara Portuendo gives The Wagon Train yet another angle on its journey. Both 'Llano Estacado' and 'Omara' incidentally giving pianist John Ellis a chance to stretch out on his Steinway grand. Lastly, and a surprise perhaps, 'Say You Will' leaves us breaking open the talcum powder to join the dancers at The Twisted Wheel club way back in '65. A pumping soulful number that wouldn't be out of place at an old school soul all-nighter.
'The Damnation Twist' is a mix of styles that have been brilliantly + naturally brought together as if they've been drinking from the same well for years.