VINYL OF THE MONTH
Scott Kempner
Tenement Angels
Bronx, NY
“Reissue from the co-founder of the Dictators and the Del-Lords”
Scott Kempner is no stranger to the music scene. Originally released in 1992, Tenement Angels is the first solo endeavor from the founding member of the Del-Lords, and the Dictators’ rhythm guitarist. A great man once said: “I rock, therefore, I am,” and Kempner, with his own brand of classic rock and Americana, certainly fits the bill. Inspired by the 1950s and ’60s, this record is best described as masterful three-chord rock ‘n’ roll that is as genuine as it is entertaining.
With the original inspiration being “AC/DC meets the Beach Boys and peanut butter meets chocolate,” the album’s opener, “You Move Me,” finds Kempner crooning brilliant lines amid a melody that calls to mind early Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: “I wanna take you. I wanna shake you down to your soul… We can do anything you wanna do. I don’t really care; I just want to be with you ‘cause you move me.”
What follows is Kempner’s sultry confession in a song that could easily make any hot-blooded woman swoon: “Your kisses to me felt Heaven-sent. I shouldn’t even hold your hand, but here I am kissing you with bad intent.” Driving riffs in the realm of Bruce Springsteen permeate throughout each of the album’s 13 tracks. “Hot Rod Angel,” “Livin’ With Her, Livin’ With Me,” and “(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet” are the most notable. Any music lover will certainly appreciate the reissue of Tenement Angels, as it is a significant piece of New York’s rock history. Longtime fans of Kempner’s will especially take pride in a previously unreleased track, the pleasant and cheerful “Merry Xmas, Baby!” (GB Music)
Produced by Lou Whitney, Manny Caiati, and Scott Kempner // Engineered by Lou Whitney, Ron Butler, Vance Powell and Kelly Brown // Mixed by Tom Harding with Scott Kempner at Treasure Isle, Nashville, TN, except “Merry Xmas, Baby!” mixed by Hirsh Gardner // Reissue mastered by Hirsh Gardner // Recorded at Column One Recording in Springfield, MO