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Los Lonelys get back to what they do best
Thursday, June 26, 2008LOS LONELY BOYS
'Forgiven'
(Sony)
There's no question mark after the title of Los Lonely Boys' third album, "Forgiven," but it sure couldn't hurt. The last time we heard from the brothers Garza, bassist JoJo and drummer Ringo were still dogged by assorted drug and assault charges. "Sacred," the album they were promoting at the time, was rising up the charts, yeah, thanks to the carry-over popularity of the song "Heaven" from their self-titled debut, but it was hard not to feel disgusted by the air of moral decline.
Enter big brother Henry, who pleads their case on the new album's title track. "Can you take it away, Lord?" he sings, "Help me change my ways of living." He seems sincere (hey, we've all known a little moral decline), and the brothers are in rare form.
Indeed, Los Lonelys' voices are glued together on harmonies honed under the tutelage of an exacting father. And Henry and JoJo's lyrics preach virtue without being pedantic: their themes include self-affirmation, introspection and perseverance. The best yet is Henry's shredding in the style of Stevie Ray Vaughan, which is in full effect on "Heart Won't Tell a Lie;" you can feel the song's gigantic guitar intro percolating under Ringo's congas from a mile away, but it still gets you every time.
"Forgiven" was recorded at East Side Stages in Austin, and includes Dr. John on three tracks, among them the funky "You Can't See the Light." Instead of a traditional studio environment, Los Lonelys re-created their live setup. That's an approach that screams, "We just wanna forget everything else and play for the sake of playing." And that's exactly what "Forgiven" sounds like — done-good Texas boys playing their smooth "Texican" blend of rock 'n' roll, pop and the blues because they don't know what else to do.
So, are they — forgiven, that is? Well, it's not really a "yes" or "no" question.
Recommended tracks: "Staying With Me," "I'm a Man."
— Michael Hoinski
Los Lonely Boys play a free KGSR Blues on the Green show with Shawn Sahm and the Tex Mex Experience July 9 at Zilker Park.
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