Small Time Crooks - Broken Glass and Stains from the Past (2016)

Four gentlemen with beards and mustaches and hats and caps from The Hague. Doktor Heinz, Karl Not Marx, Shorsch Heimlich and The Reverend Zwalfred Hollsteiner swear by a repertoire composed of bluegrass, skiffle, hot jazz and swing. The harmony vocals are reminiscent of The Mills Brothers. Ambiance and humor are a part that should not be underestimated in songs like Never Argue With Your Barber, indeed it is not a good idea to argue with such a barber armed with a razor-sharp razor. Although for most members of Big Time Crooks it seems like a while ago that they have stepped into a barbershop.

With the exception of a stray traditional, they usually write their songs themselves. Raw hilarious harmony vocals in drinking songs like Evil Booze and Two Shots guitar, banjo mandolin and the acoustic bass cabinet provide a swinging vintage structure, the kazzoo is never far away, and neither is a beer or a stronger booze.

The unhinged hillbilly of Thinking About my Woman and Monkey On My Back and a drifting G & B generate a sultry atmosphere, ideal to add to a party. Surprisingly, their headstrong, thoroughly staged interpretation of the Shaffy hit Let Me. It is indeed not a bad idea to let the gentlemen go their own way. This is clearly illustrated with a second bonus track, an exuberant, clearly tipsy 'live' performance of Hard To Love, the traditional that opened the ceedeetje. Preferably in a packed bar or on the corner of a street to listen to those silly Small Time Crooks.