Ah…Philadelphia. Home to cheese steaks, soft pretzels, the Liberty Bell and American Bandstand. Who knew that the City of Brotherly Love is also home to some of the finest Rockabilly bands in the nation? Among them is Gas Money, who deliver a high-octane blend of modern rock with a Rockabilly flair reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis (sans the piano).

I first had the opportunity to see Gas Money live in 1997. Four years later, this hot trio has released their debut record, Hopeless Love Affair (Gas Peso Records). Hopeless Love Affair begins with a traditional Rockabilly sound in "Tongue Tied Jill." Next up is the saxaphone-rich "Juvenile Delinquent," which races straight into "Sugar Sweet." Your feet start to really move as singer/guitarist Fred Stucky rips guitar solos while keeping up with the pounding rhythms set down by drummer Tony Bello and bassist Adam Driscoll.

Hopeless offers a dynamic range of vision in songwriting that many Rockabilly bands tend to forget, with hints of punk rock roots that have matured to expose solid songwriting capabilities that shine through on their 12 track debut. Balancing fast tempo, guitar-laden tracks with softer, slower numbers, Hopeless delivers intriguing combinations back-to-back. For example, the laid back, twangy "El Camino Blues," which solemnly describes the pain of lost love, is immediately followed by the high-speed "Juke Box," a song that instills the desire to drive at breakneck speeds in an old Chevy.

Hopeless Love Affair is not your everyday recording from a modern Rockabilly band. There's no Brian Setzer influence here. Gas Money is true home grown RAB, and they are unafraid to show their own unique flair for the roots of rock-and-roll.

www.gasmoneyweb.com