Bandida
Deer Lodge, 2020
8/10
The debut album from the bassist Jessica Kunze and guitarist/vocalist Sally Peters, as Rosie’s Ghost they pen a listen about one woman’s journey, and they’ve brought Jaimie Meldrum, Joshua Kunze, Jesse Cunningham, Scott Pettitt, Neil Mangrum, Hank Rasco, Paul Brainard, and Aaron Meader along for the well thought out 12 songs.
“Brave Pete” gets the listen off to a warm, breezy start, where gentle acoustic guitar and brushed drumming align with pretty, expressive singing, and “Big City Days” continues the poetic climate with a folk influenced, pedal steel friendly delivery.
Deeper into the listen, “Lyris’ Song” resides in soothing Americana territory that benefits from gentle guitar playing, while “Dimestore Cowboy” flirts with country ideas amid the fluid guitar lines and strategic percussion. “Romance Novel Cover”, one of the album’s best, the brings some ruggedness to the cautious melodies that we could never tire of.
Nearing the end, “Requiem For A Cowdog” recruits a fiddle in the brief instrumental, and “Wind In The Mountains” exits the listen with a retro-folk quality that swirls with subtle horns and precise, timeless instrumentation.
Both Peters and Kunze have lengthy backgrounds in music and live a very rural lifestyle. It’s not so surprising that the sounds here revolve around folk, classic country and even bluegrass, as the pair collaborate for what is hopefully the first of many rich, organic and charming records to come.
Travels well with: Anya Hinkle- Eden And Her Borderlands; Zoe & Cloyd- I Am Your Neighbor