If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Citizen Kane Wayne It's been a long, long time since we've last heard from Banditos. The Birmingham/Nashville sextet released their last album, Visionland, back in 2017, but five years feels like roughly a dozen nowadays. Thankfully, they are back with a new single! "On My Way" is a great welcome back for Banditos. It has that soulful Americana/roots sound that we've come to expect and love from them. It's upbeat country rock with horns that is endlessly catchy. Plus, it's sung by Mary Beth Richardson, and we've missed her vocals so much. Richardson could be singing anything in any style, and you'd be captivated. In a press release, Banditos talk about their new single: "'On My Way' is about trying to stay positive when it seems as though everything is falling apart. It's about staying true to yourself even if it seems like the odds are against you. It's about trying to make a living doing what you love. It's abou...

Listening to the latest album from Banditos is almost like listening to two separate bands. First you get the band led by Mary Beth Richardson which is a more bluesy, soulful band. The second is led by Stephen Pierce, and is a more fun loving, almost outlaw country band. Seeing them live last week, the divide was even more apparent, which was part of the whole charm of the live experience. This might seem like an odd comparison, but I'm going to compare the Banditos live to Squirrel Nut Zippers live. Katherine Whelan is a far superior singer to Jimbo Mathus, and live her voice was even more incredible and mesmerizing. However, his songs were livelier and more fun, so they became the hits the crowd reacted to. The same can be said for Richardson and Pierce. Her voice is great, particularly live, but she sings mostly ballads. Pierce's voice is a fairly standard country rock twang, but his songs are just more energetic and fun. Wednesday night his collection of songs reminded ...

Celebrate American independence with a lot of new music! Co-Album of the Week : Artist : Mise en Scene Album : Still Life on Fire Quick Description : A rollicking rock and roll record. Why You Should Listen : With the glut of 90s-inspired indie rock, this is a refreshing straightforward take. Overall Thoughts : I think I loved this two songs in, and I know I loved it by the time I was through the fourth. It's just such a great listen - the vocals move effortlessly between primal rock screams and breathy moody stuff, there's a level of rock excess here that would almost seem tongue-in-cheek if this album wasn't so straightforward and great. One of my favorites this week (I couldn't choose), and one that might be in my end-of-year discussion. Recommendation : A must-listen, surprise of the week. Co-Album of the Week : Artist : Ratboys Album : GN Quick Description : Latest album by the rock act with a little bit of country mixed in. Why You Should Listen ...

Just when I has Banditos pigeonholed as a psychedelic southern garage rock band, their new song goes in a completely new direction. "Healin' Slow" features Mary Beth Richardson on vocals, and her vocals are the star for this track. It's a southern rock blues slow jam, with the instruments holding off as minimalist as can possibly be for the genre. Richardson's voice is the main focus, and once you hear this song, you'll understand why. I wouldn't say she has a spectacularly beautiful voice, but she has this odd power behind it that just draws you in and makes you want to pay attention. "Healin' Slow" is a song that could have ended up as a pretty generic ballad, but Richardson's seemingly effortless vocals and the rest of the Banditos' ability to remain in the background makes this one a must listen. You can watch the video for "Healin' Slow" below. Banditos' newest album, Visionland , will be out June 23 on Bloo...

As much as I love garage rock, at least 99% of it has the same basic sound repeated over and over. Banditos are the rare exception to that rule. Their latest song, "Fine Fine Day," isn't rough or aggressive as most garage rock. It's pretty lighthearted and trippy. But, trippy psychedelic garage rock ends up being really flowery and hippie sounding. "Fine Fine Day" is much too fast to fit in that style. Banditos have this song that's too poppy and trippy to be garage rock, but too fast to be psychedelic. Oh, did I mention it has a southern rock vibe to it,too? The result is a rare fresh take on a few genres that are each multiple decades old. You can watch the video for "Fine Fine Day" below. You should make sure you watch it, too. It's a very simple idea and concept, but it's one of the more fun music videos I've seen in years. Banditos' new album, Visionland,  is due out June 23 on Bloodshot Records. For more on Banditos,...