Rev Hank: Longhorn

Longhorn
Reviewed by: Duke

I'm totally blown away. There's no way I can keep up with Rev Hank, even if I'm playing air guitar. Man, can that cat ever set those strings on fire.

Longhorn isn't just a stellar album, it's a guitar clinic. Rev Hank, a.k.a. Michael Diabo, is an incredible guitar slinger. His string pyrotechnics are electrifying.

I've always thought of myself as a fair to middling guitar player. Unfortunately, at least for me, when I hear this kind of hot picking it makes me realize that regardless of whether I practice day and night, I don't have enough years left to get that good ... even if I had the talent to begin with. Oh well, I'm actually a drummer. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. It's my only defense.

Longhorn is one of those rare albums that compels you to play it again and again. It's impossible to wrap around everything that's happening the first time, or even the second time you listen. Things happen so fast, with so many twists and turns, that you notice something new with every spin.

Not only is Longhorn filled with Rev's jaw-dropping guitar picking, the bass and drums are as kick-ass as you can get, too. The entire 12-track all-instro album is a pure work of art.

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Longhorn - The title song ... and it's a doozy. Right from the get-go, Rev's substantial talent is evident. I get dizzy just trying to keep up with this number. Dig that wild boogie-woogie guitar chorus. It's like Arthur Smith on steroids.

Cyclops - Powerful, surfy, with enough double picking to keep any purist happy. Strong, punchy bass, like a Mike Tyson fist.

Twist Man Easy - Let's twist and boogie, on the easy side, man. I'm diggin' that smooth guitar and punchy bass. Twist Man Easy is a great tune, so don't rush me.

Mrs. Wong - Hot-frickin'-damn, Mrs. Wong rocks. This is a killer tune, with neat, definitive ethnic overtones. High-speed and high-energy light the fuse on Mrs. Wong. The guitar, bass and drums are potent as all hell. Cool drumming opens this puppy and those drums continue to ignite things with a four-bar solo at 0:38.

Twist & Twang - The name says it all. Twist & Twang crosses the boundaries of music. You can twist to it, you can line dance to it, you can do just about anything to it. Rev reminds me of Duane Eddy on this one. Twist & Twang has more cool drumming, à la Sandy Nelson.

Devil Ray - Three ominous chords set the mood, a powerful drum syncopation sets the stage and you know what's coming next - the sh@t's gonna hit the fan. Devil Ray would make Link Wray proud.

Hey Eddie - Rev is at it again. By now the question is, "What CAN'T he do with that guitar?" Dig that wild-ass playing. Dig that cool tremolo ending. Hey, Mr. Bassman, I dig your cool stuff, too.

Twang Gang - Two minutes and seven seconds of absolute greatness. Twang Gang is good ol' instro rock 'n' roll highlighted by a terrific 12-bar drum solo, stellar guitar playing and rocking bass lines. Neat, neat and double neat.

Teenage Walk - Do you remember The Stroll? Not the song, the dance? I sure do. It was popular back in the '50s. A special type of rock 'n' roll was required to dance The Stroll ... slow, sultry, sexy, erotic. Rev Hank nailed it with Teenage Walk.

Rex Rides Again - One hyper mother of a song. It's acid laced rock 'n' roll and totally cool. Fuzz and distortion set it on fire. I hear the sounds of someone from another time. Could it be? Well, let's just say that Jimi Hendrix would have loved Rex Rides Again.

Tipi Tone - A hot snare drum intro kicks things off and it just keeps getting better. Tipi Tone is a happy, carefree song that's highlighted by Rev's incredible guitar slinging. He's a double picking machine. Does this man ever get tired?

Big Boss Cowboy - I can think of another title for this song, "Rev Hank Lights It Up." His picking is smokin' hot. Big Boss Cowboy showcases Rev's remarkable ability and versatility ... wow ... definitely ... smokin' ... hot. It would be a huge omission if I didn't mention the drums and bass - totally kick-ass to the nth degree.

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It's hard to find enough superlatives to describe Longhorn. It's an outstanding album. It will be a special treat for players and fans of the guitar. Longhorn is one of those inspirational albums that you hand to a guitar student and say, "listen to that man play. If you practice long enough and hard enough maybe, someday, you might play like him."

Rev Hank: Longhorn
01) Longhorn	Michael Diabo	1:49
02) Cyclops	Michael Diabo	1:46
03) Twist Man Easy	Ken Davidson	2:12
04) Mrs. Wong	Michael Diabo	1:56
05) Twist & Twang	Michael Diabo	2:05
06) Devil Ray	Michael Diabo	2:04
07) Hey Eddie	Michael Diabo	2:52
08) Twang Gang	Michael Diabo	2:07
09) Teenage Walk	Ken Davidson	2:42
10) Rex Rides Again	Michael Diabo	2:40
11) Tipi Tone	Michael Diabo	2:19
12) Big Boss Cowboy	Michael Diabo	2:48
All Tracks MAPL Release Date: 2012