Right On
Egghunt, 2022
10/10
The Southern Country rockers Banditos impressed me with their first couple albums, and this 3rd LP continues that trend, as Mary Beth Richardson's alluring voice guides these alt-country and garage rock influenced 10 tunes.
“Time Wasted” opens the listen with a fuzzed out retro rocker that’s got plenty of bright melody amid the thumping drums and Richardson’s soulful pipes, and “Waves” follows with a hint of psychedelia entering the soaring vocals and spirited guitar in the dreamy climate.
“Right On” occupies the middle spot and showcases Richardson’s powerful and diverse singing alongside Stephen Alan Pierce II’s playful bass, while “Deep End”jangles with a crisp and dynamic nostalgic feel that’s aglow in melodies and harmonic textures.
Close to the end, “One More Time” offers thicker bouts of vintage rock’n’roll mixed with calm moments of beauty, and “Ozone” exits with a poetic and eloquent finish that’s hazy and timeless.
A fantastic listen that balances cozy twang, buzzing bursts, creative folk-rock and a throwback energy, the remainder of the band consists of Timothy Steven Corey Parsons (rhythm guitar), Jeffery David Salter (lead guitar) and Randy Taylor Wade (drums), and together with Richardson and Pierce the make one of the best records in recent history.
Travels well with: Lilly Hiatt- Walking Proof; Lauren Morrow- People Talk