Offbeat (Februaty 2005) New Orleans, LA

Sweet Pea's Revenge - 'Side Road to Paradise'
Offbeat - New Orleans, LA - CD review.
-Dan Willging

Not too many bands can claim their moniker was inspired by a cantankerous street person. Back in [the] Pea's embryonic formation where, rehearsals occurred in a rented pad in the Warehouse District, they were constantly harassed by the infamous Sweet Pea, a local legend of street lore. Well, they reasoned, should they ever flop, it would be Sweet Pea's revenge for all the cacophony they inflicted upon his domain. Given these proceedings, which represents their best to date, the trio shouldn't be belly flopping any time soon.

While their Southern rock-rooted, occasionally jamming tunes may whisk you back to two dollar pitcher nights and wet t-shirt contests, it's also sealed with a crafty troubadour quality with Jim Brown's barroom rockin' originals. Brown spins intriquing tales about life's seedier characters, wheter it's the womanizing Gretch or the former hood who opts for the good book and it's more lucrative payoff. "Further Gone," the best of this bunch, is about the aspiring rocker better destined for country stardom.

Other songs are spawned from more inside personal experiences ("Spin Me") or are consoling in nature ("Ain't No Call for the Sorrow"). Good stuff from the green guys.

A note from the band: Dan, while giving us a great review, has confused the song titles. He has picked a favorite song, saying it is "the best of the bunch," the song about an aspiring rocker destined for country stardom is called "Rudy,"and "Further Gone" is a different lament.