Los Lonely Boys - Sacred
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Free Music Notes for Sacred
Free Music Review: Sacred
Hit: 5 Stars
The "boys" get better and better. Just when you think it can't get any better THEY DOFree Music Review: great music
Hit: 5 Stars
I love this cd! Great music, the songs stay in your head day and night!Free Music Review: Los Lonely boys
Hit: 5 Stars
Love this one just as much as the last. Keep them coming.Free Music Review: Very strong follow-up for Henry, Jojo, and Ringo....
Hit: 4 Stars
Sophomore efforts are usually a band's weakest attempt. If that be the case, then Los Lonely Boys are going to be just fine. Sacred is a very pleasing second album from this group of Texicans from San Angelo. They have matured as songwriters, even though they wrote all of this album while on tour in support of their successful self-titled debut, the only exception being Diamonds, which was written back in the mid-1990s, and originally put on their 1998 small-label debut on SofaKing records (good luck finding it).
Speaking of a girl's best friend, Diamonds is the first single, and is an attempt to replicate what Heaven did on the debut. It's light and breezy, with uplifting sing-along lyrics. It's a pretty cool little song. But like Heaven, on this album you need to dig a little deeper to find the real treasures. To me, the best songs are the defiant My Way, Orale, the slammingly Spanglish track Oye Mamacita (I dare you to hear the verse and not have it in your head for days), the rocking Roses (which should be the next single), and the reflective My Lonliness, which is with its melody, lyrics, and harmonies make it the best song on the album. Then there is Outlaws, a tribute to past country music outlaws like Willie, Waylon, and Merle. Speaking of Willie, the Red-Headed Stranger makes a vocal appearance on this song as well as LLB's father, Enrique Garza. Very good tune, should cross over into the country market, if you ask me. To me, if I was a record executive, I'd release Roses as the next single, followed by either Oye Mamacita, Orale, or My Way, and release Outlaws to the country crowd. But what do I know, right? Plus wouldn't it be cool if a song became a hit with these lyrics:
"Don't tell me how to live my life
Don't tell me how to pray
Don't tell me how to sing my song
Don't tell me what to say
Because I believe that miracles happen everyday
I don't care what you say
I'm gonna do it my way"
The ultimate F*** YOU to the low-down record companies who push nothing but filth on our ears while artists like Doyle Bramhall II and Joe Bonamassa and others go un appreciated. Thank you LLB.
Now, there are some negatives. After all, I did give this thing 4 instead of 5 stars. First of all, while the production is clear and crisp, I think some of the backing instrumentation should've been deleted. For example, the horns on My Way did not have to be there. I've heard live versions of this song, that song is strong enough to stand on its own without it. I don't mind different layers of guitar parts, but sometimes these extra bells and whistles take away from the song. Some say this is maturity. I say they're a strong enough band they don't need it. Second, while all the songs rate from excellent to pretty good and very listenable, I probably could've deleted about 1 or 2 songs, streamlined it and made it a five star album.
However, these are minor quibbles. On the whole, this is an excellent release by the Texican Rock N Rollers, and they avoided putting out something that tries to sell copies, which was most important. They just put out some good music, and that's admirable in the face of all the success they had. I put it right up there with the new releases this year by Joe Bonamassa (You & Me), Indigenous (Chasing The Sun), and The Derek Trucks Band (Songlines). Do yourself and those within listening distance a favor: buy it, crank it, live it, and rock on.
Free Music Review: A true LLB fan, a first opinion
Hit: 4 Stars
Ive seen Los Lonely Boys several times and they put on the best live show ever. If you havent been within the first 5 rows of a LLB show you havent lived.
Sacred is a lot different than the first record. That up-beat tempo and hard driving southern blues takes some time off on this record. The first record made me go "WOW". This one makes me yawn a bit. Anyone that appreciated older songs like "Cottonfields and Crossroads", "Senorita", "Crazy Dream" and "Onda" may be a little disapointed.
Sacred has a few cuts that I would consider great. I would give the first half of the album 5 stars, and the second half 3 stars.
#1 My Way: Very good tune. It has a lot going on with a full horn section and keyboards. It has a very south-of-the-border sound, and Henry's guitar work is awesome. The words are great.
#2 Orale: Another great song. Southern salsa blues. No complaints. When Henry rips his solo the song really comes into its own.
#3 Diamonds: You've heard it by now. This CD's "Heaven". Great song.
#4 Oye Mamacita: One of the best LLB songs ever. I seen this one live and it was amazing. It has a Santana feel. I think the Boys are at their peak when they are singing about lifes biggest passion.....WOMEN.
#5 I Never Met A Woman: A great balad. I really like the song and give it 5 stars. But this signifies tha albums downfall in a way, as it is the beginning of the slower tempo to follow.
#6 Roses: A pretty good song. Its an up-tempo balad I guess.
#7 Texican Style: This is a strange song. It has a ton of harmonica. I cant say that I really love it, but I dont hate it.
#8 One More Day: To me this song just doest have "it". It doesnt jump out and grab me. Its kinda flat. Not a bad song. But comming from LLB I expect more. And this song just doesnt do it for me.
#9 Memories: Another balad, another song that does nothing for me. Nothing really stands out.
#10 My Loneliness: This song is just depressing. It makes me feel the pain of loneliness, which I dont want to feel EVER.
#11 Outlaws: Im not crazy about this one either. It has a country feel. I like hearing Ringo Sr. singing (hes a neat guy). Willie Nelson, well, he's Willie. This song wont be one of my favorites.
#12 Home: One of the best songs on the second half of the CD. Yet it lacks any serious energy. I like it though.
#13 Living My Life: A very good song with a slower tempo. Its a little depressing. But it is well done. The best song on the second half of the CD.
As you can see from my review I see this album as a bit of a let down. I hold the Garza family in the highest regard. They are truely the best musicians on the planet. But this album lacks the hard-driving southern blues that they are famous for. Some of the songs are just flat. They do nothing for me. Aside from the great songs, and there are several, half of this CD it not that great.