John Surge & The Haymakers: “Maybe You Don’t Know Me” (2024) CD Review

When I saw John Surge & The Haymakers play at DiPiazza’s a couple of months ago, one of my favorite songs of his set was “You Don’t Know Me.” And now that song is the lead track of his new EP, Maybe You Don’t Know Me. The disc is the follow-up to the band’s acclaimed 2023 album Almost Time, and it features mostly original material, written or co-written by John Surge, along with one cool cover (which he also played at that Long Beach show). The band for this release includes John Surge on vocals and acoustic guitar, Randy Volin on electric guitar and backing vocals, Brad Fordham (of Dave Alvin & The Guilty Ones) on bass, Tom Lewis on drums, Floyd Domino on piano and organ, Tommy Detamore on pedal steel, Kevin Jarvis on percussion, and Brennan Leigh on backing vocals, along with some special guests on different tracks. The EP was produced by Tommy Detamore at his Cherry Ridge Studio in Floresville, Texas (where John Surge also recorded Almost Time).

The EP opens with “You Don’t Know Me,” a delicious and energetic country number that features some great stuff by Tommy Detamore on pedal steel and by Floyd Domino on piano. John Surge is known for his energetic concerts, and, unlike some bands, he is able to translate that energy to his studio releases, which is clear on this track. “Maybe you think I got something to say/Maybe you think somehow I lost my way/Maybe you think I got a story to tell/Maybe you don’t know me very well.” Well, whatever he may have to say, he delivers it in an absolutely fun country tune. This track also features a strong guitar lead. I remember Randy Volin receiving appreciative applause during this song at that concert. John Carroll plays rhythm guitar on this one. The band keeps things rocking with “Marisol,” a song John Surge wrote with Mike Jacoby. It has the feel of summer, and the guitar work has a bit of a rock and roll thing happening at times. Great stuff. And it has a beat that will get you dancing. Plus, it features Michael Guerra on accordion, delivering some wonderful work. “We drove up to watch the sun go down/She asked me what I think/I stumbled around like a drunken fool/Looking for another drink.” This song is delicious fun. “She said, Tell me when you’re going to leave L.A.” Well, with music like this playing in L.A., I don’t ever want to leave.

“Barstool” has a somewhat softer and prettier sound, and features both pedal steel and fiddle. That’s Jess Meador on fiddle, who plays with Tommy Detamore in the Texas band Jake Hook & The Outsiders. It also features an absolutely wonderful vocal performance. At the beginning, he offers this description of a woman: “Jet-black hair, too much makeup, turned up nose/And purple fingernails matching purple toes.” But it is what she does in a moment that wins him over: “And you fell off your barstool and I fell in love with you/I helped you up, but you wouldn’t look at me/Brushed back your hair, and you dusted off your knees.” Yes, it’s a love song. “I know you hate it when I talk about the past/You say we’re different now, we’ve chosen different paths/You quit drinking and got a brand new life/Not a day goes by when I don’t think about that night/When you fell off that barstool and I fell in love with you.”

The EP’s sole cover is John Stewart’s “Gold,” which was released as a single in 1979, that recording featuring both Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. John Surge & The Haymakers maintain the core vibe of the original recording, while putting their own mark on it, including some excellent work by Jess Meador on fiddle. Brennen Leigh takes on the Stevie Nicks role in this version. “California girls are the greatest in the world/Each one a song in the making.” It’s fun to revisit this one, and this band does a great job with it. Dave Bernal adds some really nice work on harmonica. The EP then concludes with “Stand My Ground,” this one also featuring good stuff on fiddle. It’s a song about a breakup after a move to Los Angeles. I had a relationship end soon after our move to this city, but that turned out to be a very good thing. “But this ain’t Hollywood or Disneyland/Guess we never found the promised land/Everything is turning upside down/It’s getting really hard to stand my ground.”

CD Track List

1. You Don’t Know Me
2. Marisol
3. Barstool
4. Gold
5. Stand My Ground

Maybe You Don’t Know Me was released on September 20, 2024 on Blackbird Record Label.