The Outlaw Orchestra - Makin’ Tracks
Album review by; DeeDee
This is a band that brings a unique style of rock to the table and that’s because you have to have the insight, humour and creativity of Dave Roux to produce it . The linchpin of Southern Coast Rock ( Southampton and the surrounding area ), the Outlaw Orchestra are a special breed and you just have to love them for what they do. This latest album was re-worked and finely tuned several times, until the guys were totally happy with it and the tracks offer another amalgamation of Blues, Rock, Country and Latin that fans of the band already appreciate. Following on from the recent release of ‘Under The Covers’ an EP of cover songs and the acoustic ’Powercut’ mini album, ‘Makin Tracks’ is the second main studio work since ‘Pantomime Villains’ from May 2020.
‘Done My Time’ is a railroad stomp that starts the proceedings. The slow pace and backing vocals offer up all the pain and desperation of men toiling away and I like this simple Chain Gang theme. Gathering more speed ‘Red Rag’ is a step up to the footplate and the title ‘Makin’ Tracks’ begins to make more sense. Some smooth guitar strikes towards the last few bars and then it’s straight into the single ‘Rollin’ Stone’. A melody with a sharp edge, it certainly rolls and I adore the guitar sound again. ‘Enough About Me’ is Hillbilly rock and gives the old banjo pride of place, it’s definitely one for a singalong around the whisky still. A nice crunchy introduction on ‘Back In The Game’ allows the song to amble along with more of that Southern drawl. Like a ride in the desert, it gallops with the dust cloud hanging in its wake. We settle down by the campfire again for ‘Got It Made’ , a calming little number that allows us to catch our breath in the midst of this album. Only The Outlaw Orchestra would come up with a title like ‘Rattlesnake Sour Over-Proof’, wouldn’t mind a glass of that. More fiddle, slide guitar and a few hollering whoops make this one so enjoyable.
’Sea Legs’ is a ballad of some strength, like a sailors lament it tells a tale of sorrow and regret. Beautifully crafted and having delicate harmonies, it pulls softly at the old heart strings. Taking a complete turnaround ‘There’s No Easy Way To Say This’ returns to the back water stomping and that amazing guitar, fiddle and banjo accompaniment. Heading south of the border, ‘Blame The Horse’ is a dramatic piece of wonder. Verses are mixed with the most incredible soundtrack, it builds and sweeps with a fury, you can just make out those fearless bandits riding into the distant wilderness. ‘End Of The Line’ is a short coda that brings the album to a close. However there are two more bonus tracks on the version I’ve received, which are radio edits of ‘Enough About Me’ and ‘Rollin Stone’.
4/5
Another enjoyable and heart warming album from THE OUTLAW ORCHESTRA, with an impressive guest list joining them that consists of guitarist Buzzy James (Laidlaw, Mike Oliveri), vocalist Trish Burke and Nashville fiddle/violin player Rachel Crick. ‘Makin Tracks’ was produced by David Evans and mastered by Joe Hutchinson (Rival Sons, Larkin Poe, Gary Clark) also from Nashville, at Garage Masters.
Also with the album release on Friday, the band will drop the new video for ‘Rollin Stone’, this song is special to Dave as it’s written to the memory of his father. Dave’s Dad spent the early sixties on the road in his band ‘The Graduates’ and even toured Germany supporting the Beatles. Dave once asked his Dad “Are you a true Beatles fan or more of a Rolling Stones man?" he said his Dad replied "I was always a Rolling Stone". Hence the song, as when Dave was small, he looked at his Dads ‘Rolling Stones’ records and wondered which one was him, because to Dave he was a Rollin Stone.
‘Makin Tracks’ will be available on both physical and digital formats, there will also be a special edition in February that will feature the ‘Mugshots’ of all those who pre-ordered the album and offered up their photos.
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