|
Joe"s Gone Ridin"
|
|
Guitars & Castanets
|
Patricia Vonne Album Review:
Vonnes defining voice and music provide exhilarating Texas border rock at 2005-09-17
Playing Time - 40:58 -- Guitars and Castanets is Austin-based Patricia Vonnes second album. With contemporary Mexican and traditional rock influences, Vonnes music has been called Texas border rock. A pounding beat and tastefully rendered electric guitar impart rhythmic force to Vonnes original music which always keeps her engaging voice front and center whether singing in English or Spanish. Following the ten tracks is a bonus video Traeme Paz from the motion picture Once Upon a Time in Mexico, directed by her older brother Robert Rodriguez. Her songs are inspired by Joe Ely, Johnny Reno, homesickness for Texas, passion for flamenco, a motorcycle club, relationships, friendship, and survival. The title cut (co-written with her brother) is dedicated to Alejandro Escovedo, another hero of hers, with whom she occasionally joined on stage for Als song Castanets. Produced by Carl Thiel, the album features some exceptional accompaniment from Joe Reyes (electric guitar), Scott Garber (bass), Rafael Gayol (drums), Vonnes husband Robert LaRoche (guitars, backing vocals), and others. Additional noteworthy Austin musicians include Charlie Sexton, Jon Dee Graham, Rick Del Castillo, Michael Ramos, Mark Andes, and Johnny Reno.The two cuts featuring Vonnes castanets are those with a more acoustic feel (La Gitana de Triana and Guitarras y Castanuelas). With contemporary and commercial flavorings, this album displays impressive musicianship and emotionally-charged vocalizing. The result is a stirring journey that yields bountiful rewards with numbers like Rebel Bride, which she calls a sexy, rockin wedding song. Growing up in San Antonio family with ten kids, Patricias mother would sing to them in Spanish and the children would harmonize. Her dad had been a drummer, and they often had mariachis visit their house. Now, her music has taken her on world tours numerous times, and shed like to see more of her songs used in movies and on television. With Guitars and Castanets, Vonnes defining voice and music are exhilarating. (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)
Patricia Vonne Album Review:
Tough twangy pop, sax-fueled barn-burners and Mariachi ballads at 2005-08-19
The trill at the edge of Vonnes voice can be as charming as a songbirds and as chilling as the shadow of a circling hawk. The Austin-based singer-songwriter opens her second album with an exhilarating tribute to Joe Ely that electrifies the dusty, noir atmosphere with a rock n roll beat. Her delivery has a tough-girl flammability that brings to mind Shangri-La Mary Weiss, the theatrical drama of Cher, and the black-leather rhythm-guitar attitude of Chrissie Hynde. But unlike these women of rock, Vonne is steeped in Texas twang and Mexican folk tunes, slipping just as easily into mariachi-tinged ballads as she does the mid-tempo songs of a Gruene Hall Saturday night.The entire CD has a dusty, Western edge -- not so much country as Americana that mixes country, pop, rock, and rockabilly. Vonnes barn-burning original Sax Maniac gives her early hero Johnny Reno an opportunity to wail on his horn, and La Gitana de Triana and Fiesta Sangria along with the Mariachi-flavored Traeme Paz add Spanish lyrics and South-of-the-Border flavors. The latter is accompanied by a Robert Rodriguez directed video which is nearly superfluous in illustrating Vonnes aurally cinematic performance. [Review by redtunictroll@hotmail.com]
|
Patricia Vonne
|
Patricia Vonne Album Review:
Great Tex-Mex music at 2006-04-17
Okay, she played a hooker in Sin City, but lts get past that. This is a great debut album from an overlooked artist. Shes been blessed with a great singing voice - and she understands the importance of melody in a song. Standout tracks include Morning After and Bandolera. There are a number of songs with Spanish lyrics; although I dont speak the language, the melodies have really grown on me.I first saw her live in Austin when she opened for Joe Ely at Antones and she put on a great show. If you are a fan of Doug Sahm, Texas Tornados and Freddy Fender, Im sure you will enjoy this disc. Recommended.
|
|
|
|
|
|
