But it’s not all psychobilly influenced, as guitarist Carl Harman explains: “The great thing about the Tuxedo Tramps is that we all like various types of music, and so if one of us has an idea for a song, we know it won’t be turned down because it ‘isn’t the right style’--we will make it our style.”
The four-piece has been around for three years -- minus a year hiatus -- and listening to this debut, their influences are all over the map, from The Polecats to Reverend Horton Heat. There aren’t any intricate stories about the band; it’s just simple, fun music. Keep tabs on the tramps over at their Facebook page.
The CD release show will be on January 18 at Burt’s Tiki Lounge.
Harman writes about three tracks off of the forthcoming album.
“Stay”
“Stay” is the only song written and sung by Krystal. She wrote it about a year after playing with the Tuxedo Tramps. Everyone has some sort of negative experience with people in general and relationships -- lies, cheating, abuse, or just plain having a rude or lazy person around. It has a little bit of a sassy, mocking, even scornful feel to it when it says things like, “I hope you’re crushed. You weren't much. Touch you? I’d rather die.” The song is kind of a compilation of all the bad things that no longer matter because you’re in a better place around better people and loving your life; thus, “Hey baby won’t you look this way? I’d love for you to stay.” It really is about how you interpret it too. She wrote it about multiple people but if you’re in one of those “I love you, I hate you” things, then it applies, too.
“In My Dreams”
“In My Dreams” is a song of hope, moving forward, being lifted into the clouds, and, in many ways, is a transitional song from the past that were about hopelessness or darkness, and filled with anger. It is also different from my other love songs because it portrays love in a positive light, which is a change from other songs like “don’t love”; it shows a changing point of view. While writing “In My Dreams,” I was shooting for the classical “crooning” love songs like from the early ‘60s, late ‘50s, where love songs were so optimistic, it felt like you could just float through the air using love as your oxygen.
“Robots”
We all know that in the future there will be a robot invasion. “Robots” is a prophecy that came to Carl in a dream. We are not sure exactly the date or time, but we are sure that the song is correct in portraying that the robot invasion is inevitable. So, treat the song as fact. Well ... actually, Carl wrote this with the love of sci-fi and robots in mind. He has always loved B-movies and Twilight Zone-type things, especially if they were about robots. He actually wrote this song as a joke originally, and brought it to the band and it ended up being a fun song that everyone remembers and loves.