Redlands Palomino Company “Take Me Home” (Laughing Outlaw 2007)

Country rock as it ought to be

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is an adage that The Redlands Palomino Company have clearly taken to heart. Despite the occasional foray into unknown territory, of which more later, the UK’s best country-rockers have largely remained true to their tried and trusted template on their second full-length release. Composed of equal parts of Gram, Poco, Burritos and Byrds, its classic country-rock par excellence, never more so than on opener “Wasted On You”, all rolling rhythm, ace harmonies, sing-along chorus and all, and the jangling rocker “Coastline” that follows shortly after.

Hannah Elton-Wall contributes the bulk of the songs, and has developed into a writer of no little class, and the remainder of the band are a well-honed unit, with plenty of swagger and enough rough edges to keep it interesting. There’s no faceless Nashville-ness here, no by the numbers playing that is the hallmark of a lot of Brit country bands, no indeed. Instead there’s soul to spare, grit galore and plenty of punch in the delivery.

But back to those diversions. “Pick Up, Shut Up” has front man Alex Elton-Wall channelling Faces-era Rod Stewart, while the rest of the band do a passable imitation of Ronnie Lane et al. The betrayal of “Harbour Lights” is couched as a high and lonesome ballad, while “She Is Yours” metamorphoses from a fuzz-drenched country to a staccato power-pop finale and the final track is a stately orchestral reprise of “Take Me Home”, with Hannah intoning the desperate plea of the chorus into the fade.

But, good though these diversions are, they are exceptions to the overall rule, and that rule says that these guys do country rock better than anyone else in the land. Fine stuff.

Date review added:  Sunday, January 14, 2007
Reviewer:  Jeremy Searle
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  Redlands Palomino Company website