AllMusic Review by Ned Raggett
The type of entertaining, take-it-as-it-comes
one-off that musicians who aren't afraid of appearing unserious excel
at, the Pleasure Barons brought together three kindred souls: Mojo Nixon, Country Dick Montana, Dave Alvin, and various compatriots. Indeed; recorded in front of an audience happily along for the giddy ride, Live in Las Vegas
gives the trio a chance to play around with their familiar styles in a
flashy show biz way, not to mention indulging in some apt and hilarious
covers. The backing band strikes the right balance between the
principals' rootsy rave-ups and just enough Glitter-Gulch-glitz, and
from there it all just flows from one number to the next. Nixon
mostly concentrates on his own songs, delivering up the likes of
"Debbie Gibson is Pregnant" and "Louisiana Lip Lock" with aplomb, but a
take of "Elvis Is Everywhere" has never been more perfectly appropriate,
while his freakout through Jerry Reed's "Amos Moses" even more so. Alvin
has the soberest (of sorts) selection, though his take on "Gangster of
Love" makes for a fierce highpoint. Perhaps unsurprisingly. in the end Montana
rules the roost, his alcoholic suaveness perfectly suited for a
demonstration of same. Besides penning the entertainingly combative
liner notes, Montana
more than anyone else probably took the ethos of partying hard to its
logical extreme. He delivers mind-boggling, lyrically tweaked covers of
"Take a Letter, Maria," "Who Do You Love," "Jackson," and most logically
of all, "The Definitive Tom Jones Medley," which takes "It's Not
Unusual," "Delilah," and "What's New Pussycat?" to a sublime level of
hypercheese. Montana himself is pictured in the liner notes shaking hands with Tom Jones
(aka the Creator), personally (blessing) the ceremony, and it's that
kind of affectionate embrace of all that is Vegas which makes this album
worth one hundred showings of Swingers.
Tracklist
| 1 | Closing Time | 4:52 |
| 2 | Take A Letter Maria | 4:00 |
| 3 | Who Do You Love? | 3:27 |
| 4 | Louisiana Lip Lock | 6:29 |
| 5 | Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant | 2:41 |
| 6 | Games People Play | 4:56 |
| 7 | Jackson | 3:04 |
| 8 | Amos Moses | 3:52 |
| 9 | Ganster Of Love | 6:13 |
| 10 | Elvis Is Everywhere | 11:02 |
| 11 | The Definitive Tom Jones Medley | 6:20 |
| 11a | It's Not Unusual | |
| 11b | Delilah | |
| 11c | What's New Pussycat? |
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