Beaux Gris Gris And The Apocalypse - Hot Nostalgia Radio
Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse are generally cited as a California based roots-rock band based around the songwriting of multi-award winning vocalist Greta Valenti (aka Beaux Gris Gris) and noted guitarist (and youngest ever British Blues Hall Of Fame Inductee) Robin Davey, with an apocalyptically good (and truly transatlantic) band around them.
Accurate as that is, anyone familiar with the band will know that’s but a brief summation.
At the heart of Beaux Gris Gris (pronounced Bo Gree Gree, should there be any uncertainty) is a tasty mix of blues, rock, Americana, country, soul and a splash of French Quarter New Orleans (stemming from Greta Valenti being a Louisiana gal).
That’s a heady, cross-genre cocktail, but one that hits a spot, as does third studio album Hot Nostalgia Radio.
It's also a title that isn’t far off the mark on many a number, including fiery, full on, classic rock and roll opener 'Oh Yeah!' which dovetails as a short, two-and-a-half minute life (so far) story of Greta Valenti ("so I moved to California when I was just seventeen…") while keys player Sam Robertson puts the piano hammer down and Robin Davey rips it up on the six-string.
With four years' worth of 100 song ideas to consider and hone into a new album, Greta Valenti & Robin Davey (with additional songwriting from the band’s British bassist Stephen Mildwater) have taken a primarily short (only three of the 14 songs sit over four minutes) but highly impacting route third time around.
It's a winning formula, one that celebrates and coalesces the Beaux Gris Gris sound to fine effect – second number 'Wild Woman' is a simple beat stomper, but it packs more energy than a Duracell AA battery; following track 'Satisfy Your Queen' has that throwback, classic American rock sound of the 70s going on, with an added stomp-chant chorus.
'I Told My Baby' is a two-minute burst of The Doors meeting psychedelia tinged rock and roll, Beaux Gris Gris style, while the sultry rhythm and horns (courtesy of Jon-Paul Frappier and Yuri Villarof) of 'Middle of the Night' returns Miss Valenti to New Orleans and the city’s Late Nite blues-jazz-soul clubs.
Another throwback number, 'Sad When I’m Dancing,' carries a lovely sway vibe as does the slower, horn backed 'All I Could Do Was Cry.'
The latter, complete with traditional and effective mid-song key change, is both an album highlight and a song you could easily hear Sam Cooke fronting six decades back (hot nostalgia radio writ large).
'The Runaway' sets up a sequence of downtempo, more delicate numbers; Sam’s Roberston’s mid-song accordion on this song is subtle and effective, as are Robin Davey’s later guitar-crying remarks, which play in sympathy to Greta Valenti’s vocal. As such it becomes another highlight.
Ballad 'Harder to Breathe' features a tender vocal from Greta Valenti, while 'Don’t Let Go' is a more rhythmic, country-tinged affair that sports a simple, but highly effective hook/ earworm chorus.
'Penny Paid Rockstar' and 'Marie' (featuring the band’s American bassist Chris Cunningham) are similarly country affected, but with more traditional Nashville arrangements; this is a side of the band that hasn’t truly been heard before, and it’s a welcome addition to their musical CV.
The more up-tempo 'Let’s Ride' offers up a little Cajun country before album closer 'Mama Cray' "takes them blues away" in full, and mighty fine, Louisiana/ French Quarter folk style.
Hot Nostalgia Radio is a more accessible adventure into the world of Beaux Gris Gris, but it’s also an album that continues the evolution of the band with balladeering, country-tinged light and throwback rock 'n' roll shade.
Hey, what’s their name? Ooh La La Ya oughta know by now.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Accurate as that is, anyone familiar with the band will know that’s but a brief summation.
At the heart of Beaux Gris Gris (pronounced Bo Gree Gree, should there be any uncertainty) is a tasty mix of blues, rock, Americana, country, soul and a splash of French Quarter New Orleans (stemming from Greta Valenti being a Louisiana gal).
That’s a heady, cross-genre cocktail, but one that hits a spot, as does third studio album Hot Nostalgia Radio.
It's also a title that isn’t far off the mark on many a number, including fiery, full on, classic rock and roll opener 'Oh Yeah!' which dovetails as a short, two-and-a-half minute life (so far) story of Greta Valenti ("so I moved to California when I was just seventeen…") while keys player Sam Robertson puts the piano hammer down and Robin Davey rips it up on the six-string.
With four years' worth of 100 song ideas to consider and hone into a new album, Greta Valenti & Robin Davey (with additional songwriting from the band’s British bassist Stephen Mildwater) have taken a primarily short (only three of the 14 songs sit over four minutes) but highly impacting route third time around.
It's a winning formula, one that celebrates and coalesces the Beaux Gris Gris sound to fine effect – second number 'Wild Woman' is a simple beat stomper, but it packs more energy than a Duracell AA battery; following track 'Satisfy Your Queen' has that throwback, classic American rock sound of the 70s going on, with an added stomp-chant chorus.
'I Told My Baby' is a two-minute burst of The Doors meeting psychedelia tinged rock and roll, Beaux Gris Gris style, while the sultry rhythm and horns (courtesy of Jon-Paul Frappier and Yuri Villarof) of 'Middle of the Night' returns Miss Valenti to New Orleans and the city’s Late Nite blues-jazz-soul clubs.
Another throwback number, 'Sad When I’m Dancing,' carries a lovely sway vibe as does the slower, horn backed 'All I Could Do Was Cry.'
The latter, complete with traditional and effective mid-song key change, is both an album highlight and a song you could easily hear Sam Cooke fronting six decades back (hot nostalgia radio writ large).
'The Runaway' sets up a sequence of downtempo, more delicate numbers; Sam’s Roberston’s mid-song accordion on this song is subtle and effective, as are Robin Davey’s later guitar-crying remarks, which play in sympathy to Greta Valenti’s vocal. As such it becomes another highlight.
Ballad 'Harder to Breathe' features a tender vocal from Greta Valenti, while 'Don’t Let Go' is a more rhythmic, country-tinged affair that sports a simple, but highly effective hook/ earworm chorus.
'Penny Paid Rockstar' and 'Marie' (featuring the band’s American bassist Chris Cunningham) are similarly country affected, but with more traditional Nashville arrangements; this is a side of the band that hasn’t truly been heard before, and it’s a welcome addition to their musical CV.
The more up-tempo 'Let’s Ride' offers up a little Cajun country before album closer 'Mama Cray' "takes them blues away" in full, and mighty fine, Louisiana/ French Quarter folk style.
Hot Nostalgia Radio is a more accessible adventure into the world of Beaux Gris Gris, but it’s also an album that continues the evolution of the band with balladeering, country-tinged light and throwback rock 'n' roll shade.
Hey, what’s their name? Ooh La La Ya oughta know by now.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ