- American Ambulance
- All Over the Map
- Rustic Records (Phoenix, AZ)
- By Zach Peterson
 Musicians should
thank President Bush for invading Iraq.
The dubious war has stirred the creation of passionate, timely
music in a wide array of genres. American Ambulance's "election
year special" All Over the Map is a case in point.
The NYC-based cowpunks' six-song EP is a mixture of original
protest songs and free-spirited covers. Recorded with minimal
overdubs, All Over the Map has the energy of a live album.
This is both a blessing and a curse.
American Ambulance smokes through covers of Neil Young's "After
the Gold Rush" and Johnny Cash's "Big River."
On "Gold Rush," the tempo is accelerated to match Scott
Aldrich's soaring lead lines. Drummer Joe Dessereau makes a cameo
on vocals and does an admirable Neil Young impression. With "Big
River", the band remains faithful to the original; however
Pete Cenedella's vocals are more Strummer than Cash.
Disappointingly, the honky-tonk sensibility and punk drive
that works so well on the covers (which also includes a slow
version of "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding"),
hinders the originals. "Wake Up to War" and "Fields
on Fire" come off sounding like self righteous and shallow
peens against the current administration's empire building.
"Hey John Ashcroft" is better. Instead of trying
too hard to be profound, lead vocalist and songwriter Cenedella
cuts to the chase:
Hey John Ashcroft/come and kiss my New York ass.
The song is hardly poetic, but the message is clear and the
band lays down a rollicking backdrop for the unfiltered anger
and disgust of the lyric (quite literally, it doesn't change
much).
Overall, All Over the Map holds it own. It is a good listen
from a band that has a message, potential and a bit of maturing
to do.
www.ambulanceband.com
Contact Zach Peterson at zapper-at-rockzilla.net
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