Happy Go Lucky
Box/Saustex, 2022
9/10
The 2nd archival release from the San Antonio garage rock and power-pop legends The Krayolas, the tracks here were pulled from 1982 masters that were previously thought lost, and feature West Side Horns on many selections, which only adds much more appeal to their nostalgic brand of rock.
The title track opens the listen with crisp drums, vivid guitar lines and hand clapping fun to complement Hector Saldana’s smooth vocals, and “Times Together” follows with Barry Smith’s warm keys alongside soulful brass from West Side Horns in the very melodic climate.
Deeper into the listen, “All Of The Time” offers a punchy and crunchy garage rocker that certainly has aged well and would fit right in with today’s version of the genre, while “Don’t Give Up” gets dreamy with slight psychedelia nods that certainly warrant their ‘Tex-Mex Beatles’ nickname.
Moving towards the end, the jangly strumming and well timed horns of “ We The People” makes an indelible impression, and “All I Really Want To Do” exits the listen with thick guitars and harmonic singing in the rugged yet tuneful album highlight.
Amazingly, much of the music The Krayolas made was when they were teenagers, though you certainly wouldn’t know it from their very mature and well delivered songs that embrace Latin, R&B and Motown into their timeless and always relevant rock’n’roll.
Travels well with: The Krayolas- Savage Young Krayolas; The Kinks- Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire 50th Anniversary;