Search - Walt Wilkins & Mystiqueros :: Diamonds in the Sun (Dig)

Plenty of genuine talent and charismatic charm

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 08/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Playing Time - 47:53 -- The Mystiqueros (Walt Wilkins, John Greenberg, Marcus Eldridge, Bill Small, Ramon Rodriguez) have copious amounts of genuine talent and charismatic charm. The formula for their success is really no mystery, however. Their instrumental work is solidly grounded around electric guitars, bass and drums. The guest appearance of the album's producer Lloyd Maines on steel, mandolin and guitar also elevates this disc to a higher level of country rocking ebullience.



The Mystiqueros also showcase excellent songwriters and vocalists. Wilkins is the most prolific writer and had a hand in seven of the 12 tracks. With various other albums out, his songs have been covered by the likes of Pat Green, Ricky Skaggs, Ty Herndon, and Pam Tillis. "Trains I Missed" is an infectious song with intelligent words and a savvy arrangement. "Just Like Hank," Wilkins pours his heart out as he sings sad tunes, howls at the moon, and plays his old box just like the legendary country singer and songwriter did. To understand the meaning behind "Stand Up Seven," you only need to know the words that precede the song title: "bow down six times." Small wrote the mellower title cut, "Diamonds in the Sun," that maintains a vision for hope in the shadows of unfulfilled dreams. Greenberg penned "Red River Blues" that has some splendid vocal harmonies and evocative guitar.



The three covers come from Jaimie Robbie Robertson, Davis Raines, and Ray Stephenson/Bob Dipiero. Robertson's "The Shape I'm In" is a down-and-out treatise on having no dough and nowhere to go. From Raines, I'm sure the band's affinity for "Big Shiny Cars" is because of the imagery that the song creates about the hurdles that a band faces on its way up. Building their reputation and notoriety in the Texas dance halls, the band might just best relate to the latter songwriting team's "Honky-Tonk Road" as the band sings "the lights get hot, but the beer is cold." Soulful country music is what The Mysteriqueros are all about. They're really not so enigmatic. With good material and solid musicianship, they're simply one of the hippest bands to come out of Texas in quite some time. (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)

"

Indie country is alive and well... in Texas, of course!

Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 08/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a fine album by yet another one of the Lone Star State's great, groovy unknowns... An impressive mix of rugged, honkytonk-tinged indiebilly and sleek, old-fashioned country-rock that hints of a secret love for Poco or old JD Souther albums... This features a diverse array of styles, all of it quite good. This is one of those records that grows on me a little bit more each time I listen to it. If you're a fan of independently produced country music, you'll wanna check these guys out. (Also, a little more off the radar are their self-released records on the Highway 29 label... also worth tracking down...) (DJ Joe Sixpack)"

Just too much honky-tonk fodder

loce_the_wizard | Lilburn, GA USA | 04/29/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I really wanted to like "Diamonds in the Sun" by Walt Wilkins & the Mystiqueros more than this. The name of the band, a great front cover on the CD case, and overall great reviews made me think this recording would be something special. This seems a band of equals, and they are clearly a skilled set of musicians. And about a quarter of the songs really are quite good----You Can't Outdrink the Truth, Diamonds in the Sun, Red River Blues, and Stand Up Seven.



But there is just too much honky-tonk fodder among the rest of the album, songs that stick to the tried and true themes for my taste. That said, only Just Like Hank, yet another take on the Hank Williams legend----which is about as dry a well as there is in this genre of music----elicits an immediate tap of the skip track button.

"