Saturday, 25 November 2017

Angelica Rockne - Queen of San Antonio, album review



Country Infusion Imperative

This is an excellent release from a singer new to me, a country-infused take on great melody, singing and strong rock echoes.

All eight tracks are finely crafted and the pedal steel of Pete Grant is an apt accompaniment to those more Country tunes, Rockne’s warm vocal both sweet and strong, second Whiskey Men a good example of both as the song shifts from its balladic opening to a honkey tonk, and one lineage from Emmylou would not go amiss as referencing – I like the vocal ensemble at its end.

Third Smoke When It’s Raining is a beautiful song and here I hear a little Ricki Lee though the gorgeous chorus of harmony [Lea Thomas] and that gliding pedal steel add their distinctive benchmarks. Then comes fourth Glitter Rags which is a wonderful 60s-esque folkrock number, keys by Ryan Brodie and the guitar over pedal steel by Blake Severn and I’m hearing Skin Alley in one of their instrumental travels, Brodie returning with a fuzzed solo. I do like this track.

Sixth Meet Your Master seems to pay its homage to Neil Young, and as ever these references are to signpost the good company some good artists keep. There’s more fuzz on closer Baby and Rockne asserts her Country-fine vocal again, further vocals joining in the excellence, including ‘high oo’ from producer Tim Green.

Get it – that’s an imperative – here



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