was the equivalent of the Ramones or Metallica."
--Nick Curran, interviewed by Matt Collar in the All Music Guide
(www.allmusic.com)
It's that attitude that helps to make Nick Curran & the Lowlifes' Reform School Girl (Eclectogroove Records), the hottest, best album I've heard in this young year. To tell you the truth, today's Blues recordings move me less and less, but this one somehow combines an ancient sound (Curran plays a Kramer guitar on several tracks) with a blistering, modern approach, and I'm waiting to see who has the guts to put Reform School Girl on the air. Maybe the AC/DC cover version will get him some airplay, but this record can't be pinned down by any one track. My first choice on my radio show was "Baby You Crazy."
I've been following Curran's stuff for a few years now (he's 32 years old) and it was a great article. He talks about getting past tongue cancer (which he says was just a matter of changing his diet, although it had to be a good deal more traumatic than the quiet manner in which he disclosed the info), playing with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and recording his latest album.
Somehow, I don't envision the rip roaring Reform School Girl getting on those rather staid NPR Blues shows, but I hope I'm dead wrong about that.