Having already dipped our toes into the opening track of The Outlaw Orchestras new album "La Familia" with our review of "Rotten Apples" it would seem churlish not to dive in further and it is fair to say that the mix of musicianship and mayhem continues in equal quantities.
Anyone thinking that the second track "SOS" was going to be an Abba cover would swiftly be relieved of that thought by the opening searing guitar riff
I done good things and bad things and everything between
Church on Sunday gives me six more days to sin
Fill your glasses, I’ve got some holy water
Always knew we’d need something, something a little stronger"
The vocals rise in volume and intensity as the chorus approaches which is equally outlandish
"They can’t save our souls above the noise of our rock'n'roll
With our loud guitars and our cheap cigars
Nobody hears the bell toll"
The Outlaw Orchestra's ability to paint themselves as rowdy no goods is a most compelling act but it is always done with a little twinkle in their eye, for they can pull a smart line out at the drop of a sombrero and their playing is far too fine,
"We can’t all be Beatles when we’re too damn rollin stoned
We’re getting older but there’s rock here still living in these bones
We’re the luckless few whose lives went straight down the sink
I sold my mother’s teeth to buy us all another round of drinks"
The third track "Fear The Bite" is something different entirely, played out on an old banjo,and much slower one drum sound. It has the feel of a man slowly dragging his horse across the desert.
"I curse the dog that followed me home
A feral stare I’m just skin and bone
You fear the dog, I fear the bite
And we wander down a dark, dark, dark road"
"El Dorado" opens to a banjo riff which is then joined by a Southern rock guitar to make something truly powerful to have have some rock n roll vocals added to it.
"One last round then we’ll call it a night
Line ‘em up, let’s do it right
Hold my beer and watch me go
‘Cause I’m 5 drinks in,
El Dorado"
Later for at least two verses things go a bit psychedelic as if in a sort of dream sequence before returning to the opening driving riffs - the amount of musical ideas being thrown at these songs is quite amazing.
Things slow slightly for "Holy Ground", another unflattering portrait that The Outlaw Orchestra seem to revel in painting
"I cast a real long shadow, hold a grudge til the end of time
Don’t ask me for forgiveness if you know you crossed my line
You’re acting like you’re Jesus but you don’t look like my son
I’m god around here so sling your hook, don’t walk you’d better run"
Once again after the depiction of this fairly gruff individual is complete, some magical musical moments occur, a section of sweet melodious guitar playing almost veering off a little into prog territory then reverts back to heavy guitar riffing to see the song through.
There's classic rock guitar intro to "Sunday Drivers", think Gary Moore or (name checked in the lyrics), Jeff Beck and you won't be far off. It then opens up into a sort of late 60's rock
"There’s a time, time and a place
When I should act my age
For twenty years, I’ve been having a phase
When we were young we so dumb
We thought we were smart
Staring in the mirror I thought I was a work of art"
It's an absolute delight, played with a mainly straight bat!
A bizarrely touching love song appears in the shape of "Bag Of Bones" which is another musical delight, detailing one man and his dog selling themselves to someone else in desperate need.
"I ain’t homeless
I’m just rough around the edges
Guess it looks like I’m coming apart at the seams
It’s taken 20 years to break in these old blue jeans
I’ve got my best friend on the end of this lead
And we can both see you’re the one in need"
The bare banjo musical style returns for "I Was Born To Be A Thief" - which again dives into the lower depths of society.
"Sometimes I believe
I was born to be a thief
Born to look for more
Than I can see
I’m all out of love
I’m all out of hate,
When they put me in the ground
The devil’s out of work"
Musically rich in ideas, the banjo is joined by some wondrous electric guitar playing that would happily grace any album,
"Graceless Time" is another song that is really quite romantic in its own rough and ready style - musically one of the softer songs on the album.
"Don’t love me, ‘cause the pain ain’t worth the pleasure
It’s a long road and we’re on this path together
I’m a swinging noose in your tree
I’m a smiling bitter pill
If you won’t leave me, maybe I’ll find someone that will
But we’ve laughed, in life’s changing face
We’ve found a timeless grace
But we’ve laughed, in life’s changing face
And this rope it won’t break"
Closing things out is "Outlaw", a sort of "Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting" style riff that fronts an all out rocker
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions
And my bad attitude is a concrete imperfection
Well If you cross me I’ll make you pay a toll
Cross my palm with wine and beer and lots of gold
‘Cause I’m an outlaw
I’m an outlaw
You’re one too"
Naturally half way through it completely changes into a Steve Miller style bluesy rock for about a minute before The Outlaw Orchestra start revving up their inner Elton once again.
It's awash with guitars and drums that roll from one speaker to the other but the stand out feature are the high quality harmonies on the "I'm an outlaw" chorus.
There's time for one cackle of a laugh before the album finally draws to a close.
"La Familia" does undoubtedly introduce you to a varied bunch of miscreants but it also invites you into a myriad of sounds, some raw and brutal, much like the characters being described, while others are sweet musical diversions sometimes to be found in the middle of tracks as delightful little interludes. The lyrics are also painted large but like the music there is a lot to be found in there that can make you both smile and nod your head in appreciation. Most of all it is the playing, and when they let themselves, the harmonies that linger longest in the memory.
La Familia is available now in all formats including a highly limited vinyl run ( link below ) - which may make your walls rattle but is probably well worth the investment to hear some of the playing at it's absolute best.