Mink Deville - Cabretta

Name: Mink Deville
Album: Cabretta
Year: 1977
Style: Rockabilly Pub Rock
Similar Bands: Bruce Springsteen, Mitch Ryder, Velvet Underground, Elvis Costello, Kinks
"One-Word" Review: Light Raucous Piano Wave
Based Out Of: NYC
Label: Capitol, EMI

Cabretta (1977)

1. Venus of Avenue D 4:57
2. Little Girl 4:19 (the Crystals cover)
3. One Way Street 2:50
4. Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl 3:44
5. Gunslinger 2:09 / 
6. Can't Do Without It 3:15
7. Cadillac Walk 3:14 (Moon Martin cover)
8. Spanish Stroll 3:38 (single)
9. She's So Tough 2:30
10. Party Girls  4:30

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Willy DeVille - Vox, Guitar, Harmonica (Billy & the Kids, The Immaculate Conception, Royal Pythons, Billy De Sade and the Marquis, Lazy Eights, Mark Knopfler, Downtown, Vanessa Paradis, Lucky Seven, Bon Jovi )
• Ruben Siquenza - Bass (Billy De Sade and the Marquis)
• Bobby Leonards - Piano
• T.R. Allen Jr (Manfred) - Drums (Billy De Sade and the Marquis)
• Louie X. Erlanger - Guitar (Slamhound Hunters, Toru Oki Blues Band, Twist Turner)
• Jack Nitzsche - Producer
• Kim Kimg - Engineer
• Steve Douglas - Sax (Replacements, Crystals, Phil Sloan, Duane Eddy, Jan & Dean, Jerry Cole & his Spacemen, Dick Dale, Dory Previn, Albert King, Incredible Bongo Band, more)
• Mike Johnson - Backing Vox (Immortals)
• Val Heron - Backing Vox (Immortals)
• Max Bowman - Backing Vox (Immortals)
• Ed Rak - Asst. Engineer
• Don Henderson - Asst. Engineer
• Suzy Berle - Soul & Inspiration
• Billy Borsey Jr. - Soul & Inspiration
• Chris Evans - Mgmt
• Danny Goldberg - Mgmt
• Roy Kohara - Art Direction
• Art Sims - Design
• Eric Stephen Jacobs - Cover Photo
• Leland Bobbe - Liner Photo

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this artist or band, but he looks like a Stray Cats rockabilly 50's throwback greaser on the cover. And the name Mink DeVille sounds like it fits that era as well.

Album Review: Mink is the band name for Willy and his team. They played CBGBs a lot as a house band, but were not of the punk genre- at least not musically. But they were lumped into the category due to place and time. Willy has contributed many songs to soundtracks over the years, including Princess Bride, Road House, and Grindhouse/Death Proof. The more I listen to this album, the more i feel like there was Velvet Underground impression, and some of it sounds like Elvis Costello's first record ("I'm Not Angry" particularly)...especially "She's So Tough."

Stand Out Track: She's So Tough

Links:
Wiki - Mink
Wiki - Willy
Discogs
allmusic
classic rock history
rate your music
willy's website
willy's IMDB
Guardian Obit 8/11/09
NY Times Obit 8/8/09