Customer Reviews

Arizona Motel

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Vocalist, songwriter and group co-founder Chris Gaffney's passing in April 2008 can't help but retint this third studio album as a memorial to the group's fallen leader. And while there are plenty of sad songs here, and some lyrics that eerily presage Gaffney's departure, the album is filled with life, particularly in Gaffney's singing. The group once again worked with Muscle Shoals songwriting and producing legend Dan Penn, but with his input limited to five tracks, there's a stronger honky-tonk vibe here than the country-soul heard on 2006's "What's Wrong With Right." The group's co-leader, guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Dave Gonzalez, picks tasteful twangy leads, David Berzansky bends the strings of his pedal steel, and the band's rhythm section (Hank Maninger on bass and Dale Daniel on drums) count off two-steps, shuffles and Western swings with enthusiasm. On top of it all, Gaffney's rough-edged, occasionally wavery vocals are packed with emotion.

The album opens with Gaffney and Gonzalez trading the wistful verses of "A Lot of Days Are Gone," rummaging through the memories of a faded love and sounding like the early, haunted work of Merle Haggard as they pine. With Gaffney's passing, the line "Back when it was yesterday, the future seemed so far away, and there was always time, but now it's slipped away" throws a particularly dark shadow. Connie Smith's "I'll Come Running" is given a bouncy Bakersfield treatment, with Gonzalez chicken-picking alongside Berzansky's twangy steel and Gaffney warbling along to his own harmony vocals. The Bakersfield vibe, by way of The Derailers and Gosdin Brothers, pops up again in the goodbyes of "Big Town City," with more terrific picking by Gonzalez and Berzansky.

Gaffney's accordion, Gonzalez hard-picked nylon string guitar, and a trailside beat turn "Uncle Sam's Jail" into a Western. Though written about Gaffney's military experience, the song broadly illuminates the plights of the underclasses with the lyrics, "Most of us are losing while the rich folks run the game, doing life without parole, in Uncle Sam's jail." The album's sole instrumental, "Light it Again Charlie" provides Gonzalez a chance to show off his blues chops, and keening steel and baritone guitar provide the instrumental touchstones on which Gaffney hangs his passion for the country ballad, "I Still Believe." Gaffney turns to crooning for a shuffle arrangement of Hank Williams' "When You're Tired of Breaking Other Hearts," and adds vocal runs on a cover of George Jones' "Divorce or Destroy."

The band returns to country-soul for the Dan Penn co-writes "Ordinary Fool" and "Use to the Pain." The former is a superb, languid ballad, while the latter is edged in the gospel sounds of Joe Terry's piano and organ. The gospel fervor returns on the joyful "Soul Mountain," with a coda that could spark a church revival. As on many of the album's songs, lyrics ostensibly detailing the pain of lost love take on additional layers of meaning with the retrospection of Gaffney's passing. The album closes with the original "Break Free" whose lyrics of self-realization could also be taken as a vision for the hereafter. The Hacienda Brothers latest finds them deeply settled into the pocket of their hybrid style, true to both their country and soul roots, and closes the book on this once-in-a-lifetime vehicle for both Gaffney and Gonzalez. [©2008 hyperbolium dot com]

I first learned of the Hacienda Brothers from an NPR interview with Chris Gaffney replayed following his death. I was so immediately floored by the cover of Cowboys to Girls, a Philly sound song of the 60's done with beautiful pedal steel by Gonzalez and rich and true singing by Chris Gaffney that I immediately bought "What's Wrong With Right?" Its now got a permanent slot in my car cd player.

This new c.d., posthumously realeased after Gaffney's death starts off in a couple of startingly swinging songs, with Gonzalez's pedal steel in thrilling overdrive. The real "meat" of this one, though, starts in the middle and continues right on through to the truly wonderful final song, Break Free. That's where Chris Gaffney's voice takes center stage with this release, even more so than on the last one: so humble, rich, and true throughout.

If you like Americana, Western Swing, and Philadelphia Soul, then you're in for a treat with this rare blend by a talented group of musicians who clearly love what they're doing.

I hope, like Little Feat without Lowell George, they'll continue. But in the same way, they'll never be quite the same.

It's really a shame Chris Gaffney died just when The Hacienda Brothers touring over the last few years was finally bringing them some overdue recognition. They were a band that won fans with every appearance...you went away knowing you had encountered the total real deal. Their blend of country, blues and soul, including the pedal steel, was unique, the only other band that tried such a mix being the Gram Parson's-era Flying Burrito Brothers many years ago (Dan Penn being a common denominator). Dave is touring behind this record but with a different group of players. Maybe it was too difficult for the other original guys, I don't know. Unfortunately, Chris' voice will be impossible to replace as the chemistry of the band was so centered around what Chris brought juxtaposed with Dave's bluesy style. Chris was so good on the George Jones-y country material. Anyway, RIP Chris. Buy the record and support the band.

I am certainly biased in my opinion of this album since I am a long time fan of both Chris Gaffney and David Gonzalez and huge supporter of the two previous Hacienda albums. I'll leave it to others to talk up their favorite songs from this album and just say that it is simply one of the best "country" albums by one of the tightest sounding bands making music these days. All of the members of this band play their parts to perfection, especially Dave's guitar parts, and Gaff's singing and playing were the glue. He will be greatly missed. Do yourself a favor and buy this album and if you have the chance to see the latest configuration of this group live, I would highly recommend it as they are guaranteed to satisfy.

Being a long time fan and friend of Chris Gaffney I have no doubt that this new effort will bring every emotion that is close to those who listen to the surface and make each one of us feel something we thought was lost alive again. How better to keep Gaff in our hearts. Congratulations on this great piece of work.

Although I prefer the two previous Hacienda's cd, this is another memorable recording featuring the soulful voice of the no more Gaffney, a huge loss for roots music lovers, plus the yummy guitar works of Gonzales. There isn't a bad song in the cd, with the same Hacienda trademark flavor of uptempo country in the Paycheck tradition, ballads and bluesy rhythms. Get it.