If you’re into that rowdy, good time Arizona rock n roll sound, you’re in for a treat. Rodd Mas (vocals / guitar), Jay Ward (drums) and Rich Merriman (upright bass) have featured in The Keltic Cowboys, The Markdowns, Plowed Under, The Shadowcasters, and Exit 56, but finally they’ve come together to bring together one heck of an opening EP.

Opening with the very bluesy power track ‘Howlin’ At The Moon’, we’re hit with a wall of rockin’ fuzz from the opening bars, all clicks and atmosphere, before we get the classic jumping strut of ‘Never Couldn’t Get Enough’. It’s a track soaked in the fifties sound then left to dry in the desert sun, with a chorus you’ll be humming for weeks.

Over on Side B, ‘Mother’s Worry’ pays tribute to the bad boy lifestyle: if a song could wear a leather jacket, this one would probably own two. As an EP, ‘Race Ready Rockabilly’ passes far too quickly, but closing with a highway tune is completely fitting for an absolute Hot Rod of a release. ‘Forever Bound’ sends us roaring off into the rockabilly future, full of the rock n roll spirit and bouncing riffs.

This is a great debut from the trio, and the name Downhill Fast is one we’ll be seeing a lot more across the American rockin’ lineups in the future.

Kate Allvey

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