Knucklehead

• Artist: Eric Ambel
• Rating:
• Release Date: 2004
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rock

Review

Eric "Roscoe" Ambel is a man best known by the company he keeps, having produced the likes of Nils Lofgren, the Bottle Rockets, Blue Mountain, and the Blood Oranges, and played guitar for all sorts of cool folks from Joan Jett to Steve Earle. But Ambel is no mere hired gun, and anyone who wants a crash course in the man's monumental coolness and not inconsiderable talent for the rock thing needs to lend their ears to Knucklehead, which compiles 15 tracks he recorded in a variety of contexts between 1990 and 2004. Ambel is front and center on all these songs, and often heading up some impressive lineups; along with unreleased stuff from the Del Lords and the Yayhoos, Ambel borrows the Bottle Rockets and Steve Earle's road band for a track each, and Warner Hodges (of Jason & the Scorchers), Tony Shanahan (from Patti Smith's group), and Tony Maimone (ex-Pere Ubu, Bob Mould) all pop up in the supporting cast. But even when "Gringoman" is playing all the instruments by his lonesome, the man knows what to do with a guitar. He can write a great song (how come "It'll Only End in Tears" or "Feel So Good" weren't hits?) and pick a great cover (not a lot of folks can tackle Neil Young, Tom Waits, and the Flamin' Groovies and make 'em their own), and his instincts for gutsy, roots-oriented rock & roll are just about faultless. While this isn't quite the best Eric Ambel album, as a musical resumé and a summary of what he does best, Knucklehead does the job just dandy, and offers up a good and greasy groove and plenty of kicks along the way. Fine stuff. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Feel So Good	Eric Ambel	Eric Ambel	(3:16)
Stepside	Eric Ambel	Eric Ambel	(3:27)
Lonely Town	Jay Sherman-Godfrey, Jeremy Tepper	Eric Ambel	(3:56)
Does It Look That Bad?	Eric Ambel	Eric Ambel	(3:42)
It'll Only End in Tears	Eric Ambel	Eric Ambel	(4:24)
Shake Some Action	Cyril Jordan, Chris Wilson	Eric Ambel	(4:31)
Hole in My Head	Eric Ambel	Eric Ambel	(4:55)
Judas Kiss	Scott Kempner	Eric Ambel	(6:38)
Union Square	Tom Waits	Eric Ambel	(3:48)
The Usual Time		Eric Ambel	(3:06)
Always on My Mind	Mark James, Johnny Christopher, Wayne Carson Thompson	Eric Ambel	(4:05)
Psychic Friend	Chip Robinson	Eric Ambel	(2:42)
If Walls Could Talk	Tom Parr	Eric Ambel	(2:21)
Garbagehead	Eric Ambel	Eric Ambel	(3:08)
Revolution Blues	Neil Young	Eric Ambel	(4:45)

Credits

Lou Whitney (Producer), Paul Antonell (Engineer), Tom Parr (Guitar), Scott Kempner (Performer), Keith Christopher (Performer), Tom V. Ray (Bass), Tony Maimone (Bass), Pat Fitzgerald (Drums), Keith Christopher (Bass (Electric)), Eric Ambel (Organ), Jim Duffy (Piano), Dan Baird (Guitar), Eric Ambel (Lap Steel Guitar), Andy York (Vocal Harmony), Frank Funaro (Drums), Greg Duffin (Mixing), Al Caiata (Engineer), Eric Ambel (Dulcitone), Robert Spencer (Photography), Eric Ambel (Vocals), Eric Ambel (Engineer), Jim Duffy (Wurlitzer), Ken Fox (Bass), Andy York (Guitar), Eric Ambel (Producer), Tim Hatfield (Engineer), Scott Kempner (Vocals), Tony Maimone (Bass (Electric)), Dan Baird (Bass (Electric)), Warner Hodges (Guitar), David Chernis (Guitar), Dan Baird (Vocals (Background)), Eric Ambel (Photography), Erik Kristiansen (Guitar), Ron Gremp (Drums), Les Paul, Jr. (Performer), David Chernis (Guitar (Rhythm)), Tony Shanahan (Bass), Manny Caiati (Bass), Scott Kempner (Guitar), Lou Whitney (Engineer), Tim Hatfield (Mixing), Tom Parr (Performer), Brian Henneman (Guitar), Manny Caiati (Vocal Harmony), Mark Ortman (Drums), Frank Funaro (Vocal Harmony), Steven Terry (Drums), Will Rigby (Drums), Terry Anderson (Engineer), Steve Earle (Vocals (Background)), Eric Ambel (Mixing), Mike Buckman (Design), Eric Ambel (Soloist), Terry Anderson (Drums), Eric Ambel (Guitar), Chris Gray (Harmonica), Albert Caiati (Engineer), Keith Christopher (Bass), Scott Hull (Mastering), Brian Henneman (Telecaster)