Randy Lee Riviere – New Blue Mexico
Well, if Z.Z. Top decides to call it a day, there’s someone who possesses a similar track. From the opening stab of Randy Lee Riviere’s (vocals/guitars) Western blues on the barroom cigarette scarred piano, upbeat fortification, splash of organ & his blues-slurry vocal on “Traveling Pastor,” Randy has the formula to tug on ears. Hang on to the reins; it’s going be a rough ride.
There are 15 choogling tunes carved on the saloon wall with Riviere’s name scrawled all over them on New Blue Mexico (Dropped Oct 23/Wilderness Records/61:35) his fifth. The songs are cooked in a cauldron of Z.Z. Top with a spicy dose of vintage Creedence Clearwater Revival. Their “Born On the Bayou” rawness is instilled in “Jersey Girl” as ironic as that may sound. Mr. Riviere is a singer-songwriter who understands the magic of musical integration.
Produced in Nashville by Tom Hambridge (drums/percussion/bgv), the sound has a weathered feel, a bonfire with pine smoke & whiskey on the breath of the pretty girls in the moonlight out in the creepy fields near the forest line. There’s an American Gothic feel as the guitars tighten around the necks of their notes. Canadian rock singer Tom Wilson (Junkhouse) & the late Willy DeVille have deeper voices but similar bluesy growls of authenticity. Character, that’s it. They have character.
The majority of the themes are serious. Nothing mediocre. It’s presented as an American singer would. This is the attraction to audiences in Australia, New Zealand, Europe & Scandinavia. “Needles,” & “They Didn’t Get My Gun” are exuberant narratives, not country, not folk, not necessarily country-jazz, but wicked balladry since the guitars, like plugged in duet singers, snarl & snake around like they have their own disembodied voice. It adds to the haunting sinewy strength in Randy’s voice.
If Tom Waits were more Americana-rootsy, he might sound & write like Randy. But Randy’s got that corner of the earth covered. Not many sweet love songs but that would be like taking a walk through a graveyard & expecting to find a swimming pool with bikinis & Margaritas. A little R&R surfaces with grace & gasoline in “Carolina Sally” & “Lighten My Load.” Both ain’t your Mama’s “Walking On Sunshine” but this does have that glorious Creedence adhesive. Whereas the slow drag of “New Mexico” has a nice Willy DeVille timbre in the vocals with haunting Michael Saint-Leon harmonica & sage brush guitars. Epic in performance – good atmospheric storytelling. One of the year’s best.
A well-designed 6-panel CD with vintage cowboy images. Nice touch. Lyrics are on Randy’s website.
Highlights – “Traveling Pastor,” “Jersey Girl,” “Needles,” “They Didn’t Get My Gun,” (“My Old Man,” “Carolina Sally,” “New Mexico,” “Ghosts,” “Cimmaron Blues” & “Lighten My Load.”
Musicians – Bob Britt (guitars), Mike Rojas (keys), Tommy MacDonald & Robert Kearns (bass).
Image courtesy of Randy’s website. CD @ Amazon, Apple & iTunes + https://www.randyleeriviere.com/
Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Randy Lee Riviere “Farmhand Blues”