One Hell Of A Time
Self-Released, 2024
9/10
The Los Angeles Honky Tonkers The Lost Weekend Band make an indelible impression with just 5 songs here, where a guy named ‘Hardcore Dave’ fronts a country-ish band.
“Pay The Rent” starts the listen with firm guitar from Parker Richey and Carl Bryon’s rowdy keys that complement Dave’s raw and animated pipes, and “Sunlight” follows with Dave handling harmonica, too, as a bouncy and dance floor mood fills the bluesy spirit.
The middle track belongs to “Sing With Me”, where intimacy and beauty radiate amid the heartfelt storytelling, while “Madison Country” is a thick bar rocker that benefits from Eliot Lorango’s precise bass and well timed backing vocals.
The final tune, “In The Morning”, is another creative moment, as pedal steel and percussion suit the emotive singing of the sincere exit.
A band with an interesting backstory, Hardcore Dave got turned onto the outlaw country of Merle Haggard when he was touring with the hardcore outfit Agnostic Front. Still very much clinging to his roots, there’s plenty of fierceness to be embedded in these blues, country, Honky Tonk and rock’n’roll anthems.
Travels well with: David Luning- Lessons; Breezers- Hideaway