Jim James & The Damn Shames: Press Reviews

Name: Jim James & The Damn Shames


Hometown: Madison

Lineup: James Travis, lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica; Jeff Hammes, acoustic upright bass, harmony vocals; Brian Bentley, drums, hoots and hollars; Tim Haub, electric lead guitar, lap steel, mandolin, harmony vocals.

First a little background: It all began so innocently. One day back in 2002, Travis saw Bentley walking his dog Biko down the street. Travis said to Bentley, “Hey, you play the drums.”

And Bentley replied, “Yeah, I do.”

Thus a musical friendship was born.

Bentley knew Hammes from their work on other projects and so the three formed a honky tonk trio and started playing at some local clubs. By 2004 they had solidified a set list and slipped into the studio to lay down some tracks.

“A self-titled debut was hatched from that incubator and no life-support was needed,” Travis says.

Travis had been a fan of Haub’s guitar playing ever since he moved to Madison from Tucson, Ariz. “Be it in the Gumbo Ya-Ya’s or with Dollar Bill & The Bucks, Mr. Haub would lay out a string of licks that can only now be described as quite Haubian,” Travis says. After several near-courtings to join the band, Haub finally became a Damn Shame in late 2005.

As a roots rock ’n’ honky tonk quartet, Travis says the Damn Shames “tread a line of tradition with the ballast of originality, always moving forward, with one eye over their shoulder.”

You will like our band if you also like: early Steve Earle, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Wayne “The Train” Hancock, Carl Perkins, Chris Isaak, Andy’s Automatics.

If we could play with anyone, it would be: Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1967.

Decide for yourself: Up for a road trip? Jim James & the Damn Shames will perform Dec. 22 at the Crystal Corner Bar in Madison with Fox Valley bands the Honky Tonk Twisters, Andy’s Automatics and Blueheels. It will be another DVD/CD release show for “Honky Tonk Party,” a series of live shows that were recorded this summer at Sawdust Days in Oshkosh.

Get more info on the band at www.damnshames.com and www.myspace.com/thedamnshames.

"Jim James & The Damn Shames, too, offer road-tested rhythms and restless songs from James Travis. Their urgent performances are popular, and their debut album confirms that these Damn Shames are anything but."

The local trio Jim James & The Damn Shames pick around country music more than they actually play it. Which is a good thing. Young bands that offer up pro forma versions of old country styles are a dime a dozen these days, and their retro-mindedness gets dull awfully fast.
Instead of straight twangin', JJDS (which, naturally, includes no one named Jim James) hustle and bustle around a wide swath of trad roots music, sometimes tumbling through swing tunes, sometimes dusting up on the country blues. Leader James Travis employs his gruff Midwestern accent to excellent effect on both the lead track "Bloodshot Baby," the low-down blues-rock groove "Fast Frieghtrain" (sic) and deliciously goofy rockabilly rave up "Elvis On The Metra." And in general, these guys rock the joint with a winning joie de vivre. If that's not enough to sell you on their debut, the skiffling, geographically detailed "Wisco Rambler" could easily serve as an anthem for all those current and former Cheeseheads who've longed to wander far from the land of Swiss and cheddar.

Dane 101 is a multiple submission blog that takes on all facets of activity in Madison and the surrounding area. This is a Q&A profile of JJDS that came out on Feb. 17, 2006.

James Travis and his trio of musicians, somewhat confusingly known as Jim James & the Damn Shames (I think because it just sounds cool), started the evening with a pretty healthy dose of their own honky tonk. Mixing originals from their most recent release with well-chosen covers ...Travis worked up quite a sweat with his intricate guitar work and smooth singing. When I reviewed their CD last year, I commented that it could be subtitled “songs about trains,” and he didn’t disappoint me tonight. “Fast Freight Train” and the Chicago-centric “Elvis on the Metra” both sounded great. The song he introduced as a romantic love song turned out to be just the opposite (an anti-love song bassist Jeff Hammes called it); “She Used to be Mine, She’s Your Problem Now” (quite likely not the real name) was a jangly and witty treat. Their set was a perfect beginning to a country hoedown kinda night.

Jim James & The Damn Shames and MaeRae were both 2005 MAMA (Madison Area Music Awards) nominees for Best Americana Artist and Best Americana Album; having them both on the same bill makes winners out of everyone who loves countrified rock. The Damn Shames' version adds measured amounts of rockabilly and blues: James Travis' voice invokes a Midwestern Lyle Lovett, while a distinctive stand-up bass and twangy guitar deliver roadhouse atomosphere....

James Travis is a man who has found his band. His town-and-country, hobo-hopping-a-train music is exponentially enhanced by his backing band of Brian Bentley and Jeff Hammes. They're the tightest trio in town, a group you've got to get out and hear. This record is one of the stronger studio, full-production releases I've reviewed.
Fast Freight Train bounces right along; Whiskey and Water Balloons has a nice sonic twist at the chorus. I was critical of Travis' last album for its use of backing vocals, but he's got it right here, especially on this tune. The howl is a nice touch.
He's got some good blues here; listen for the Chicago references sprinkled throughout the record. Elvis on the Metra shows humor and a great rockabilly sound you can swing dance to. I really dig the stand-up bass. And I like the use of harmonica.
This band is likely to become one of the staples of the local and regional music scene. Pick up this disk and find out why.

...among other things, Kiki says:

"The album rolls along like the train to which is to often refers, building steam through the middle tracks on the strength of a strong rhythm section...coasting into the station..."

"...it's a hip-shaking romp."

"The catchy "Whiskey and Water Balloons" layers sweet backing vocals from Anne Hammes and Lina Palionis, as well as a few coyote howls from James, over a tale of a dangerous woman who takes all your hard-earned dollars and leaves you wailing at the moon.

"...the Damn Shames strive to make country music safe again by following the example of the Man In Black and the other outlaws by playing outside the rules of Nashville. Play it at your next barbecue."

Isthmus "Online" says this:
The Onion has these nice things to say about Jim James And The Damn Shames:

The Damn Shames play countrified rock with measured amounts of rockabilly and blues. Singer James Travis' voice brings to mind a midwestern Lyle Lovett, with Dylanesqe phrasing, while a distinctive stand-up bass and twangy guitar deliver roadhouse atmosphere.

And the print version said this:

James' band lets loose with some awfully appealing rockabilly, blues-rock and Wisconsin-tinged twang.