National Music Reviews
Deke Dickerson
Echosonic Eldorado
Major Label
Street: 04.02
Deke Dickerson = Carl Perkins + Roy Orbison + The Blasters + Johnny Horton (his rockabilly stuff)
Retro rocker Deke Dickerson tackles roots music with an authenticity and earnestness that never feels like a gimmick. Most of Deke’s records contain a fair amount of rockabilly along with western swing and any number of genres from blues to jazz, but has focused in on rockabilly on Echosonic Eldorado––that’s certainly not say that this record is boring. Dickerson manages to stretch himself within those confines to create many different feels and textures. The common theme with everything he does is that it’s all fun: You can’t help but grin when Dickerson plays. Songs with humor, like “40th and Plum” about the adventures of a simple hillbilly coming to town from the sticks, are lighthearted and awfully entertaining. It’s apparent that Dickerson was born to do this, from his versatile guitar work to his laid-back vocals and vintage rock n’ roll is Dickerson’s calling, and I hope keeps answering with tunes like these. –James Orme