American Blonde Delta Home
With DELTA HOME, American Blonde leaves its familiar pop-country style behind. The EP mixes roots music, blues, and Southern rock to create a fresh sound of its own.
Produced by Lincoln Parish of Cage the Elephant, engineered by Jordan Logue, mixed by Stephen Von Heyking, and mastered by Frank Gagliardi, the EP was recorded in Nashville and Cleveland, Mississippi.
American Blonde is made up of Natalia Morris (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Christina Morris (vocals, drums, percussion), Pete Horne (lead/rhythm guitar), Zach Dickerson (lead/rhythm guitar), and Will Garrett (bass, backing vocals).
Musical guests include Lincoln Parish (keys, acoustic guitar), Kelby Caldwell (lap steel guitar), Wes Bailey (keys), Delta State Vocal Collective (choral vocals), Delta State Music Institute (choral vocals), and Libby Rafada (backing vocals).
“Mississippi Moonshine” opens the EP with a swamp-flavored Southern rock tune. Morris’ drawling voice injects the lyrics with just the right amount of dark, voluptuous tones. Thick, gleaming guitars give the melody beaucoup muscle.
Highlights on the EP include the title track, which features a slippery slide guitar, powerful percussion, and a rolling, echoing bassline. Morris shows off the power and range of her voice on this track. At times, it’s low and smooth, at other times, it’s slightly raspy and hard-hitting. The woman can sing.
Smoldering and sensual, “Kiss Me Like The World Is Ending” sways on quixotic, suggestive surfaces that ooze lingering heat. Morris’ vocals invite listeners into a world of warm, caring intimacy.
There’s a shadow running through “Happy,” a sensation akin to low-grade sadness. The song was written following a dark interlude in Natalia’s life. It’s a song for those who keep on keeping on, no matter what.
Similar to a bitter, bluesy elegy, “Undertaker” is a personal favorite because of its snarling guitars and Morris’ Medusa-like vocals: “I killed off my feelings / When you left me alone / And what we had baby’s pushin’ up daisies / With a goodbye letter I wrote in stone.”
On DELTA HOME, American Blonde expands their sound in a new, compelling direction, capturing the essence of Southern rock.
Discover more about American Blonde here.