Review of The Beauty Shop's CD "Rumplestiltskin Lives"

The Beauty Shop: Rumplestiltskin Lives

Beginning with a quirky, memorable acoustic riff, this swaggers along for just over three and a half minutes, the vocals ranting about all the drudge of Americana like a drunken cowboy dragging his boots through the mud. Downbeat, slightly restrained, tuneful enough to hum, and just about rock enough to strum, 'Rumplestiltskin Lives' befits its title most certainly, as an attack on the mundane and fairy-tale existence that some people lead. John Hoeffleur's songwriting has been penned as being as much J Mascis as it is Johnny Cash, and it is quite easy to see why. Simple, but articulate, melancholic, yet humorous, his voice is always pining for that 'something else' in a distinctly lament-like, caustic manner. This track itself seems to showcase very well the halfway point between moody lo-fi punk and raucous, wrangling alt-country that characterises The Beauty Shop's current sound. Over in Britain during November, as part of Glasgow label Shoeshine Records' attempt to spread the 'good' word about their darling signings, The Beauty Shop might well be worth catching at Joseph's Well later this month. Even though I say it hesitantly, I imagine it could be rather good.

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