The Royal Hounds – Low Class Songs for High Class People

The Royal Hounds – Low Class Songs for High Class People 

If you have not checked out the latest from Nashville’s wild and crazy The Royal Hounds, you had better strap in. This is like driving down Monteagle with a load of nitro and no brakes. Not that you would expect any less from this band, and adding some serious extra spice to the already spicy stew is are the prodigious chops of Brazilian guitar slinger Matheus Canteri. Of course, there are a lot of madcap lyrics here with songs about “Chinese Buffets,” “Pizza Parties,” “Tweakers from Outer Space” and other bizarre subjects. Beyond the lyrical antis though are some seriously talented musicians ripping through songs fueled by honky tonk, rockabilly, glam punk, and other styles in often blistering fashion. If you have any doubts about the talent of Matheus Canteri, just listen to the instrumental  “Manteiga Braganca” and those doubts will be blown away with the force of a Great Plains tornado. They also do probably the most raucous version of “Ghost Riders In The Sky” I have ever heard (apologies to the Outlaws and the Man in Black.) If you love unbridled music with equally unbridled lyrics, you really need to check out The Royal Hounds. – MW

 https://theroyalhounds.com/home

Lasers Lasers Birmingham – Warning

Lasers Lasers Birmingham – Warning

The first full length release by the brainchild of L.A. singer-songwriter Alex Owen continues the current retro country renaissance with a winding road of quirky, mesmerizing, and heartfelt music. There is far more depth here than someone who listened to Waylon or Hank Sr. in his formative years. It is really difficult to get a handle on what that different vibe is, but that is a very good thing since the CD appears to be crafted with a comforting swagger. It is no doubt country at its purest with plenty of lyrics about heartache, simple living, and baring one’s soul, but as with the overall music mosaic, the words delve fully into the depths of Alex’s songwriting spirit. From the haunting title track to the sweetly potent ballad “Sugar Mamma” and the hook- driven but still edgy “Wild Animals,” Alex has a knack for channeling subtle extras into his songwriting that take even the barest bones track to a further level. With this CD, Lasers Lasers Birmingham could easily ride the crest of the next wave of bands washing the generic posers out of Nashville and letting real country take back over the town.  – MW

https://www.laserslasersbirmingham.com/home