Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Véloniños "Véloniños"

(Rue End Records 2016)

Alabamaman
Red Diesel Medicine
Helenstown
Hey Véloniño!
Levengrove Park
Mad Cat Dynamo
Preacherman
Bully For You!
These Quiet Lands
Hillbilly Girl

Not since Cadbury reinstated the Wispa have I been this satiated. I didn't realise how much I missed the velvety tones of Davie Duncan's voice. Since the Shakin' Pyramids headed off in to the land of legendary status with their farewell gift of Celts And Cobras, I thought that was it. We'll never hear from the boys again. But, here they are, well two of em, in a new incarnation with an album that takes up where Celts And Cobras left off. Davie and Ken are back with their new outfit Véloniños with Laurie Cuffe and Shug Jamieson completing the ensemble. I bought their digital download EP a while back and was immediately enamoured with their sound. It was almost like coming home. Fast forward a few months and Véloniños announced their first full length was available for pre-order. Pre-order it I did and have been listening to it almost all the time since its arrival. It's an eclectic mix of up-tempo well produced rockabilly and roots infused sonic delights. But, there are a couple of ballads on here that for me are thee standout tracks. Delivered with a heartfelt sincerity that can sometimes be lost in a studio setting. Véloniños are a class act. The album is written and produced entirely by the band themselves and they've also opted for some atypical sleeve artwork. I love a band that doesn't conform to the usual formulaic rockabilly conventions. The lyrical content in some cases seems to be stories from the their own lives put to song, and done so adroitly. I love a good thought provoking story as much as I love a good song. This is what the boys bring to the table on this album. It's not all serious though. There's plenty of manic rockabilly here too. As I said earlier...it's an eclectic mix. Excellent musicianship and that voice! The album is available directly from the band and a plethora of other outlets in both physical and digital formats....now for the daunting task of adding those links....

The O'Prez

ps....my booklet is better than your booklet.......


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