Los Pacaminos - A Fistful Of Statins
Cherry Red Records
CDBRED626
Something you won’t hear too often: original British-created Tex-Mex and barroom honky-tonk music, with 1980s pop star Paul Young as one of the key singers. London-based Los Pacaminos have been around for around 20 years and I’ve been something of a fan almost since they first started out and booked them a couple of times into the Soul Café in Maidstone some years back. Very much a ‘live’ band, this is only their second studio album, but as a bonus, this record has the same beguiling energy of the band’s infrequent live performance, something less genuine groups cannot produce. Live favourites, Come A Little Bit Closer and Jump Back Baby showcase the band’s powerful, rousing melodicism. The ghosts of Freddy Fender, Doug Sahm and Lefty Frizzell brush against Mexicali rhythms and r&b grit. Loosely fitting under the vintage umbrella of deep south-western roots music, this well thought out group of tunes boasts a variety that never seems cobbled together by force. Instead, a spirit of unity between the album’s sonic traits and the group’s comfort with the material shines powerfully.
The album pulls from the inspiration of the greats but is amplified by what each band member uniquely brings into the studio. Lead vocals are shared—as are the song credits—Drew Barfield (acoustic guitars), Jamie Moses (various guitars), Matt Irving (accordion, keyboards) and Paul Young (guitars, keyboards, bajo sexto, harmonica) all take their turns up-front, presenting a varied vocal sound enhanced by a tangle of rich harmonies. Melvyn Duffy is all over the tracks on pedal steel, lap steel and Dobro, whilst Steve Greetham (bass) and Mark Pinder (drums) provide the solid rhythm with extra colouring from guests Ben Edwards (trumpet), Hamish Stuart (harmonies), Robbie McIntosh (guitars), Jim Russell (drums) and Dave Levy (bass). I absolutely love the production and tightness of this band; forceful sounds which maybe are a rarity in country with traditional majestic beauty in harmonies, melodies, and expression.
They open with the deep-twang instrumental Razor Wire, which sounds like a long-lost Spaghetti Western theme tune and sets things up for what follows. Jump Back Baby, as the title suggests, is a good-timey romp that dares you to sit still, and only those with concrete feet can surely resist. Drew’s vocal is appealing and with the hypnotic arrangement this reminds me of early 1960s youth club dances as we swayed along to Cliff, Elvis and early Beatles. Even more irresistible is the accordion driven The Girl From Tennessee with its infectious Tex-Mex rhythm and great Paul Young vocal. Los Pacaminos also slip into more sombre moods with songs like A Letter To You and the delicate waltz-like Caballero. The latter has a lovely deep twang guitar counterpoint that drives the rhythm as the track unfolds to a bridge of steel guitar led lament underpinned by Drew’s steely vocal. At times a rousing and authentic collection and at others slightly more laid-back, Los Pacaminos take their straightforward roots music sensibility and throw it in a blender on high with beautiful melodies and sing-along, foot-stomping tunes. Good music, a wise man once said, accomplishes the tricky balancing act of being both instantly familiar and yet original ...Paul Young and his Los Pacaminos mates, manage just that.
www.lospacaminos.com
CDBRED626
Something you won’t hear too often: original British-created Tex-Mex and barroom honky-tonk music, with 1980s pop star Paul Young as one of the key singers. London-based Los Pacaminos have been around for around 20 years and I’ve been something of a fan almost since they first started out and booked them a couple of times into the Soul Café in Maidstone some years back. Very much a ‘live’ band, this is only their second studio album, but as a bonus, this record has the same beguiling energy of the band’s infrequent live performance, something less genuine groups cannot produce. Live favourites, Come A Little Bit Closer and Jump Back Baby showcase the band’s powerful, rousing melodicism. The ghosts of Freddy Fender, Doug Sahm and Lefty Frizzell brush against Mexicali rhythms and r&b grit. Loosely fitting under the vintage umbrella of deep south-western roots music, this well thought out group of tunes boasts a variety that never seems cobbled together by force. Instead, a spirit of unity between the album’s sonic traits and the group’s comfort with the material shines powerfully.The album pulls from the inspiration of the greats but is amplified by what each band member uniquely brings into the studio. Lead vocals are shared—as are the song credits—Drew Barfield (acoustic guitars), Jamie Moses (various guitars), Matt Irving (accordion, keyboards) and Paul Young (guitars, keyboards, bajo sexto, harmonica) all take their turns up-front, presenting a varied vocal sound enhanced by a tangle of rich harmonies. Melvyn Duffy is all over the tracks on pedal steel, lap steel and Dobro, whilst Steve Greetham (bass) and Mark Pinder (drums) provide the solid rhythm with extra colouring from guests Ben Edwards (trumpet), Hamish Stuart (harmonies), Robbie McIntosh (guitars), Jim Russell (drums) and Dave Levy (bass). I absolutely love the production and tightness of this band; forceful sounds which maybe are a rarity in country with traditional majestic beauty in harmonies, melodies, and expression.
They open with the deep-twang instrumental Razor Wire, which sounds like a long-lost Spaghetti Western theme tune and sets things up for what follows. Jump Back Baby, as the title suggests, is a good-timey romp that dares you to sit still, and only those with concrete feet can surely resist. Drew’s vocal is appealing and with the hypnotic arrangement this reminds me of early 1960s youth club dances as we swayed along to Cliff, Elvis and early Beatles. Even more irresistible is the accordion driven The Girl From Tennessee with its infectious Tex-Mex rhythm and great Paul Young vocal. Los Pacaminos also slip into more sombre moods with songs like A Letter To You and the delicate waltz-like Caballero. The latter has a lovely deep twang guitar counterpoint that drives the rhythm as the track unfolds to a bridge of steel guitar led lament underpinned by Drew’s steely vocal. At times a rousing and authentic collection and at others slightly more laid-back, Los Pacaminos take their straightforward roots music sensibility and throw it in a blender on high with beautiful melodies and sing-along, foot-stomping tunes. Good music, a wise man once said, accomplishes the tricky balancing act of being both instantly familiar and yet original ...Paul Young and his Los Pacaminos mates, manage just that.
www.lospacaminos.com