Hacienda
(Alive Naturalsound Records)
Alright, so there's nothing terribly subtle about Hacienda. The Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys)-produced group naturally falls in with the likes of touring/studio associate Dr. Dog and The Bees, those analog revivalists carrying a flag for the 1960s "A" (Abbey Road) to "Z" (The Zombies). But for all its familiar echoes, the San Antonio group's debut - Loud Is The Night - is no less enjoyable for its easily-spotted influences.
If you've got to model yourself after someone or something, why not shoot for the best? Just as Marc Bolan looked to rockabilly for inspiration, Hacienda turns back the clock a tad further than some of its colleagues, churning out a few surprises (a Sonny Bono cover, "Baby Don't Go", the overall influence of Memphis soul and doo-wop) and a nice spin on the retro racket.
The period-authenticity alone, though, is not quite enough to carry some of the duller tracks ("Another Day", "Sun"). Sometimes the Night sounds more stoned ‘n' droned than loud or exciting. Hacienda doesn't do melancholy too convincingly either ("Degree of Murder"). Fortunately, the band plays up the sunshine pop for the better part of the album.
"She's Got A Hold On Me" kicks things off with a fuzzed-out groove, "Officer" goes one step further, past the threshold and well through the doors of perception. Composition-wise, it's all refreshingly simple, breezy but easy to latch on to. There's nothing self-serving about the restrained instrumental work and one has to imagine it all translates pretty well live.
As far as first impressions go, Hacienda has some work ahead - mostly honing those songwriting chops - but Loud Is The Night is still a great point to jump off from. These guys are definitely worth keeping tabs on.
Standout Tracks: "She's Got A Hold On Me", "Angela", "Hear Me Crying" ZACHARY HERRMANN
