Search - Rosie Flores :: Speed of Sound

Like A Fine Wine, Rosie Flores Just Gets Better With Age!

Jef Fazekas | Newport Beach, California United States | 05/21/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I have long been a fan of Rosie Flores, her individualistic guitar playing and unique brand of music. It was all that, and more, that also made me a fan of Rick Vito's over the years. Needless to say, I was thrilled to find out that they would be working together on Flores' sixth (seventh, if you count 1996's "Honky Tonk Reprise", a combination reissue of her 1987 debut "Rosie Flores" on Warner/Reprise, and tracks intended for a second album for the label that never saw the light of day)CD. The result, "SPEED OF SOUND", may very well be Flores' best release to date. Mind you, the CD starts on a pretty standard note. "Rock-A-Bye Boogie" would have fit perfectly on any of Flores' previous albums, with it's dueling guitars, swinging vocals and be-bopping groove, but it's really nothing new or anything she hasn't done before. That honor is saved for "Don't Know If I'm Comin' Or Goin'", the CD's second track and one of the stand-out cuts. With it's tinkling keyboards laid over a strumming jazz groove, the listener is instantly transported back to the 1940's. Flores could just as easily be singing in a smokey nightclub with a small jazz combo as a large dance hall with a full orchestra. You can just picture her, hair in a classic 40's 'do, in a long, flowing evening gown, gently caressing one of those large, oversized mikes. Extra cheers also to Vito's exceptionally tasty guitar licks! Next we have "Hot Dog", the old Buck Owens gem. While this track might also have fit perfectly on previous releases by Flores, this time around she takes her signature rockabilly sound and freshens it up a bit. The result......"Hot Dog" comes across fresher, guttsier and a lot more fun than just about anything out there! "Devil Love", a Vito-penned chunk of smoldering swamp boogie, finds Flores delivering her sexiest, most sensual vocal ever. When she speaks the words "wicked things", well, you know she knows what she's talking about! "Don't Take It Away" has a throbbing sense of urgency, while "Speed Of Sound" is a hushed, heart-felt ode to lost love....and our need to escape it at times. "Somebody's Someone", a Flores original, is a sweet back porch toe-tapper that finds Rosie alternating between sweet, coy and sexy. A real joy, with some great guitar work from Vito! Next up is "Somewhere Down The Line", the perfect type of recording.....it shows how a great (if underappreciated!) songwriter (Marshall Crenshaw) can hook up with a great (if underappreciated!) singer (Flores) and come up with a brilliant piece of pop. Crenshaw's literate, everyman lyrics just roll off Flores' (and duet partner Terry McBride's) tongue.....sheer perfection! Ms. Flores would be wise to mine Mr. Crenshaw's extensive catalog again in the future. Rounding out the CD are two of it's best tracks. "I Push Right Over" is perfect Rosie Flores, with elements of pop, rockabilly and classic rock, all wrapped up in an angora sweater-like vocal. Mark my word, this track will be great live! Ditto "Country Boy", the CD's closer. It's rare that someone can take a Johnny Cash song and make it their own, but Flores does just that. This may be a bare-bones, stripped down track, but if it doesn't have you twirling your poodle skirt, popping your fingers and tapping your toes by the last refrain, well, nothing will! Finally, it's nice to see Rosie Flores pushing herself. Too many artists today are stuck in a certain groove. "SPEED OF SOUND" proves Flores isn't one of them."

Breaking the Sound Barrier

Benjamin E Gangloff | Kingman, AZ United States | 05/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rosie Flores continues to delight with her best work yet! You'll love this delicious mix of rockabilly tunes combined with the sultry sweet side of Rosie. "Rock-A-Bye Boogie", "Hot Dog" , and "Country Boy" will have you swinging, while Rosie shines in her soft and sensual way with "Don't Know If I'm Coming Or Goin'" and "Somebody's Someone", plus the title song "Speed of Sound". "Devil Love" is a haunting and passionate song written by Rick Vito who does much of the guitar work and some vocals as well as co-producing this CD. It's devilishly hot! Terry McBride and Rosie team up vocally in an electrifying version of Marshall Crenshaw's "Somewhere Down The Line". "Don't Take It Away" and "I Push Right Over" are rocking numbers that will stick with you all day long! This may be one of the best CD's all year, the quality of the musicians, the songwriting, and the continuing strong writing and performance by Rosie Flores make this one a real winner! Gotta go, I have to listen to it one more time!"