Ossify

If an idea, system, or organization ossifies or if something ossifies it, it becomes fixed and difficult to change.’

so Collins Dictionary tells us. And bands don’t want that. Whiskey Myers, a well-regarded Rock and Country and Blues and Soul band from Palestine, Texas, are on their 6th album and they aren’t prepared to mine old seams. None of their albums really hang about in one place for long, but it’s always a big decision to add more elements, sometimes fans never come back when you do that, sometimes the album is seen as an aberration. Whiskey Myers has presented an album that takes them to a new level.

Whiskey Myers Brings You Tornillo

The meaning of the album title is a Bolt. But it’s also a Screw, and that’s clearer, Cody Cannon and his crew have served us a screw it isn’t smooth, this is perhaps not what we might expect, but it’s what we need.

With high inflation, rising energy bills, recession, and a pandemic; the world is in a bad place and many of us wonder if life will ever be the same again. At a time like this, we need to dance like it doesn’t matter more than ever – Tornillo lets us, it even invites us.

Horns are fruity, they have a fecund full and round sound, and female backing vocals add heft and sassy sounds. That’s how ‘John Wayne’ is, ‘Mission To Mars’ too, those horns this time staying against the wall at the back of the room, that almost Gospel backing vox adding a little Soul to the County Rock ‘n’ Roll.

And then?

Edgar Winter’s White Trash, that’s what. Brother of Bluesman Johnny, Edgar was a little different, there was Jazz and Funk in his Blues and his 70’s band White Trash band amped up the Rock and then made the Soul fight for supremacy. It was raucous, ribald, and rather righteous.

It’s what makes ‘Bad Medicine’ so fine, horns blasting, slide solo superior. But there’s also a feel of Delaney & Bonnie in ‘Feet’s’, that gentle unfolding of calm, no worries groove with a little hip shaking cool.

No Rock, Then?

Oh yes, lots, but woven into so much other music, the guitar playout to ‘The Wolf’ almost meanders right to the end of the album and the Country Rock here is thick and tough.

‘This new funk is something that you will get used to…With some added Soul, Gospel, and old-fashioned Rock n Roll, the band has broadened their horizons whilst retaining that Southern core.’

Rock N’ Load put the difference in this album well, once you realize what Whiskey Myers are doing, that tasty gumbo of sounds will make you want seconds.

With One Bound, They’re Free

Let’s be clear, Whiskey Myers hasn’t released a James Brown 70’s Funkateria or Prince Funkorock workout, this is a Hammond organ-drenched Country Rock album. There’s even a feel of 70’s Southern Rock here, both the sit-up and beg harder Rock of Blackfoot and rolling musical river of the Allman Brothers.

That’s what fans want from Whiskey Myers, that’s what they’ve got. But this is more. It opens up the band to so much more music, it takes them somewhere else, and it makes everything so much more interesting.

Holler.country put it very well;

‘With this authoritative and impressive album, Whiskey Myers once again succeeds in working within the confines of Southern rock. The band pushes those limited borders wider with creativity and faith in their own substantial talents. With Tornillo, their recent burst of crossover popularity should be set to last.’

Yes, this is more interesting. For Whiskey Myers. For us. Tornillo is a screw. Is this a tornillo Job? Definitely not.