For all the time they can waste, trips down internet rabbit holes can also be rewarding.
Case in point: Hillbilly Moon Explosion.
I was immersed in some guitar geekery not long ago and came across some absolutely killer tunes and tones from this rockabilly/punk/new wave band from, yes, Zurich. It was one of those “How did I miss this?” moments, but better late than never…
The group was founded in 1998 by the native English and Swiss citizen Oliver Baroni (vocals, bass, guitar) and Italian-Swiss singer Emanuela Hutter. They’ve remained throughout, with Englishman Duncan James eventually joining on guitar Frenchman Sylvain Petite on drums.
A recent track, “Reno,” seems it could have been in pretty much any David Lynch film; and is exquisitely sung, played, and produced. Hutter cites Nina Hagen as an influence, which seems pretty clear here.
Similarly, “Knocked Out” honors its rockabilly roots, but seems completely contemporary. Plus, there’s some pretty fine older-guy dancing…
The band has fine taste in deep-cut covers, too, as its psychobilly version of the ever-cheery “Enola Gay” shows.
It appears the band is still touring regularly, so keep an eye out if they come to your town.
Exploring The Hillbilly Moon Explosion is a great reminder that the boundaries of genres are meant to be pushed and that good music transcends cultural and geographical borders. It’s a little bit of the past, a whole lot of the present, and possibly a glimpse of a musically-rich future.
As the band itself says, we’re pretty sure you’ll enjoy its “Grit. Groove. Guitars.”
-Al Cattabiani
Photo: Fair Use screen grab from the “Reno” music video
Al….Thanks…. You are sooo right!
Love this band… Always felt they picked up where Chris Isaak left off…. only a bit unapologetically uglier !
Thanks, Steve. That’s an interesting way to put it!
I’ve played in a rock n roll/rockabilly band for 20 years and only waited 10 years to discover Hillbilly Moon explosion. Our sets always include 3 or 4 covers of them…and they do some great covers themselves.