Los Lonely Boys are another entry into the
rock & roll family band tree. The
Garza brothers --
Henry,
Jojo, and
Ringo (yes, that is his real name and he is the drummer) -- like
the Everlys,
the Louvins, the Davies (
Ray and
Dave),
The Youngs (
Malcolm and
Angus), and many others, are forging a new sound from the various roots traditions in American music. Rooted in
rock & roll basics such as
Chuck Berry,
the Beatles, and
Ritchie Valens and the
latin rhythm-inspired sounds created by the
Santana band, the brothers
Garza, who hail from San Angelo, TX, also employ the wondrously soulful and raw
tex-mex textures created by
Doug Sahm and
Freddy Fender.
Los Lonely Boys' self-titled debut on the Or label was recorded at
Willie Nelson's
Pedernales Studio in Austin and features
Nelson and
Reese Wynans guesting on guitar and keyboards respectively on "La Contestacion." But there is plenty to the sound of
Los Lonely Boys; their stew is one rich not only in history, but energy, songwriting craft, fine singing, and amazing playing -- check
Henry's riffing, phrasing, and soloing on "Crazy Dreams" and one might think the ghost of
Stevie Ray Vaughan is visiting
Albert King's. "Dime Mi Amor," with its funky minor-key chord voicings dredged through a solid
latin rock structure with shimmering
son rhythms and
conjunto backbeats, is stunning in its complexity, yet is as accessible as any
pop song. Driven by
Henry's fluid and floral acoustic work and shot through with a soulful
tex-mex backbeat and vocal harmonies that touch upon the originality of
Cesar Rosas' and
David Hidalgo's from
Los Lobos as well as
the Everlys, "Hollywood" is not merely a referencing of source material, but a genuine way of combining ideas to create a new sound, one that is not only inherently, but actually the
Garza Bros. As evidenced by songs like "Real Emotion," "More Than Love," "Onda," "Senorita," "La Contestacion," and "Velvet Sky,"
Los Lonely Boys reveal that they are tied to tradition but far from stuck to it; their songs are first-rate, crafted with nuance, grace, and grit and wash over the listener like a late-summer dance party under a full moon. This glorious, dark, and steamy diamond,. rooted in innocence and raw
rock & roll beauty, is most definitely a contender for debut album of the year. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
