Artist: The Royal Hounds
Album: Low Class Songs For High Class People
Label: Self-released
Release Date: 8.2.2019
As the title implies, this tongue-in-cheek fun with the Royal Rounds echoes the best of vintage rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll and even those popular Coaster-like R&B records from the ‘50s. The Royal Hounds are intent on bringing you along for a good time, with a hefty share of guitar licks along the way. The newest member, Brazilian guitarist, now visa-approved Matheus Canteri, was recruited by frontman, stand-up bassist and main vocalist Scott Hinds. Although Canteri has played with the band in the last couple of years, this is his first album with the Royal Hounds.
It took two years and an extended visa process for Hinds to land Canteri, whom he considers as good as any picker in Nashville. Certainly by the third track, “The Parthenon,” it’s clear that the Royal Hounds are as much about entertainment as music. It hints at a live show that has Cantera dancing on Hinds’ laid down bass and shredding, among other antics. The drummer on the record is Scott Billingsley, but he’s recently left the band for retirement and you’ll now see Nathan Place at a live show. The trio is augmented by background vocalists and guests who play accordion, organ, pedal steel, and trumpet.
The tongue-in-cheek parade of songs begins with “The Walk,” a takeoff on the next dance craze, except that this one is dedicated to those who can’t dance. Another dance number is the accordion-imbued “The Parthenon,” daring folks to dance in a circle Russian or Greek style. Some of their titles beg for explanation. “Pororoca” is named after an annual phenomenon that happens on the Amazon River where a giant wave makes its way down the full length of the River and people try to ride the wave. It’s the band’s way of celebrating their guitarist’s homeland with a surf song about surfing the Amazon.
“Road Scholar” is about someone who didn’t go to college or quit college, choosing instead to study all the roads in the U.S. and eventually taking up truck driving. As such, it’s a nod to all those great county truck driving songs. Proving that they find inspiration in the smallest things, “Herbie the Butterfly” is about the insect that was caught in their van’s windshield wiper and rode out the entire tour with the band. We leave some other intriguing song titles for you to explore like “Tweakers From Outer Space,” (featuring a completely outrageous Cantera guitar solo), “Mantiega Braganca” (another raging guitar workout) and “Chinese Buffet.” The bonus track is the fan favorite “Ghost Riders in the Sky” which could be renamed “in the stratosphere” with this rendition.
Hinds is all about party music and having fun, but he’s not enamored with tried and true formulas, as he explains why their ostensibly rockabilly sound is from left field. “I try to look to strange, out-there genres when I want to write. I’d rather listen to Russian circus music or The Buena Vista Social Club.” (than early rock n roll bands).
The Royal Hounds deliver the perfect summer album. Turn it up, open your windows and invite your neighbors to join in the fun.
—Jim Hynes
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