Dex Romweber
Carrboro
(Bloodshot Records)
Flat Duo Jets fans rejoice! While the stellar psychobilly band has yet to reunite (but I’m still not giving up hope), guitarist/front man Dex Romweber has just turned in one of his best post-band break up solo albums. “Carrboro” is modern rockabilly at its finest, in all its twang-embracing, hip-shaking glory, with a little surf guitar added in for good measure.
There are a number of moodier, darker tracks on the record (like “Trouble of the World” and the instrumental “My Funny Valentine,” with Romweber trading his guitar in for organ) that call back Romweber’s influential early band, but he’s clearly not just banking on past credits and glory as this album is an original. Even on covers like “I Don’t Know,” “Smile” and “Lonesome Train” (among others) he has completely re-invented them into a style all his own.
Dex Romweber may not exactly be a household name at this point, despite working at it for the past three decades, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he is frankly one of the best rockabilly artists still playing today.
