To burnish the label of throwback when writing (or simply gabbing) about music is often, if not an act of derision, then quite likely a gesture of diminishment. But there are exceptions, and Gene Turonis aka Gene D. Plumber is one of them. However, his new CD All the Pretty Girls, while assuredly suggestive of earlier, less harried times, is ultimately just a warm, good-natured and timeless affair. It’s out now through his hometown label Bar/None Records.
Regarding Gene Turonis’ alternate handle, he is indeed a plumber, having worked at the trade since the ’70s. If people need electrician perth, they can click here and find out! This may seem gimmicky, but just as the great Atlanta bluesman-songster Barbeque Bob dished no tunes about cooking meat or working at Tidwells’ Barbecue, there are no tracks on Turonis’ new disc relating to leaky faucets or burst pipes.
Not a gimmick, but rather a way to illuminate the simultaneous plying of craft and honing of musical skills, and it takes just one listen to absorb All the Pretty Girls as the byproduct of an experienced singer-guitarist. Had the choice been made to release this set solely as Gene Turonis, one might gaze at that cover photo and wonder where exactly the guy’s been over the years; the extra moniker simply clarifies that he’s spent a significant portion of time underneath sinks.
With his band D. Plumbers, he’s performed in Hoboken since the ’70s, navigating scene changes while raising a family, and it’s clear that he’s persisted at music out of love. And it’s just as apparent through Turonis’ deft handling of the guitar and the distinctive addition of Charlie Giordano’s accordion in All the Pretty Girls’ opening title track that this is no amateurish undertaking.
But it’s really in the singing, unpolished but sturdy and wholly approachable, that a youthful connection to the work of Peter Stampfel (of the Holy Modal Rounders) and Michael Hurley is driven home. It’s not that he necessarily sounds like either one; well, he does sound a little like Stampfel, and for folks who cherish Have Moicy! it’s close to certain that “All the Pretty Girls” will be greeted with appreciation.
Now, don’t go thinking this disc is a great as Have Moicy! (which is amongst the finest records of the ’70s), but it does offer a strain of Americana that’s made of similar stuff. The crisp, relaxed playing on the tender “Round and Round We Go” makes a mind feel comfortable, but there’s enough flair (a la the first of Turonis’ numerous whistle breaks) to keep this well above the level of homespun.
The first of the set’s covers, an almost Tex-Mex-flavored dive into Chris Kenner’s “I Like it Like That,” introduces a facet of distinctiveness that’s quickly deepened by a superb rendering of the George Jones tune (written by Leon Payne) “Things Have Gone to Pieces.” Adam Krass’ fiddle retains the country feel, but there’s a far stronger current of gently executed unusualness that steers the endeavor far clear of either the C&W retread zone or standard tribute.
But Turonis plainly loves Jones, tackling “Always Get Lucky” as All the Pretty Girls’ penultimate track, and then following it with the bonus cut “George Jones, George Jones.” The tribute nature of that one is undeniable, though it’s still far from standard, flirting with novelty but guided onto the right course by song quality and commitment of delivery. The decision to place it as a final “bonus” was a smart one.
Execution is key throughout the record, with Giordano’s piano delightful in “Let’s Make a Deal – Marriage Proposal” as the playing of the group (filled out with Tim Tindall’s bass) exudes a robust late ’50s-early ’60s New Orleans sensibility without becoming too urgent a la some hacky oldies band. It’s complemented with the erudite coffeehouse folk-blues swing of “Going Back to Louisiana” (this entry borrowed from the book of Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown).
Turonis’ connections go way back, with “Been a Fool All My Life” co-credited to Luke Faust, who’s noted (alongside the late New York Times writer/ Deep Blues author Robert Palmer and others) as a member of the very hep late ’60s Hoboken band Insect Trust, though the song here evinces not a trace of that group’s blend of psychedelia and folk.
Instead, its gentle pop is reminiscent of Hoboken in the ’80s, like something Bar/None might’ve included on their Time for a Change sampler, but with maybe a hint of Rounder Records’ occasional stabs at capturing then-contemporary stuff; hey, that label did release Pianosaurus’ Hoboken-associated Groovy Neighborhood. But to crawl out of this rabbit hole, Turonis’ version of Steve Fromholz’ “I’d Have to Be Crazy” strengthens this disc’s country influence and its individual stamp all at once.
That his originals “She Belongs to Someone” (slyly humorous and subtly complex) and “A Breeze Blows Through the Palm Tree” (a non-clichéd song of remembrance nicely enhanced by co-producer Marc Jonson’s understated organ) offer no dips in quality is a noteworthy feat. Same goes for “Diamonds as Big as Potatoes” (an appealingly off-center country-folk meld). Really, the only thing keeping this album from hitting top-tier is the inking that Turonis knows these songs so damn well that a recurring touch of casualness results.
This really isn’t an issue, pertaining to impact and never emerging as a fault (easily avoiding the tossed-off), and in fact has its own appeal. But a non-musical snag with All the Pretty Girls (one that doesn’t affect the grade below, natch) is its current availability only on CD and digital. Gene Turonis’ music would obviously benefit from even a modest vinyl pressing. Hopefully, this will become a reality in the not too distant future.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A-
