ALBUM REVIEW
Royal Hounds Nashville’s answer to Spinal Tap Pickin’ and grinnin’. It may be an overused cliche in hillbilly music, but it’s a cliche for a reason — it’s a dang good way to describe hillbilly music that features hot playing and fun songwriting. And that’s what comes to mind when listening to The Royal Hounds’ new album, “A Whole Lot of Nothin’.” The songwriting is clever and funny, and the playing is top-notch. As far as music is concerned, what are good stories and songwriting if they aren’t underpinned with great melodies and fine picking? The Royal Hounds know this, and they deliver the goods right off the bat with the album’s cowbellbanging rocker “Cheap Drunk,” all about the love of top-shelf booze — unless the singer’s the one that’s buying — in which case tequila will do just fine! Lest “Cheap Drunk” fool you into thinking you’ve wandered into a record of Americana roots rock, the second track, “I Just Can’t Two Step,” sets the record straight: this is an album of solid hillbillyhonky tonk-country. “I Just Can’t Two Step” lays the groundwork for what will carry the rest of the album —hilarious and cynical storytelling soaked in red hot picking. You see, it’s not that the singer doesn’t know how to two step — it’s just that he’s in New York City where it’s too crowded to two step because “there’s too many Yankees on the floor, and more comin’ in the door, movin’ all over the place, takin’ up too much space.” If you’re more a fan of the pickin’ than you are of the grinnin,’ The Royal Hounds slip in a couple of instrumentals to ensure their musical chops are not overlooked. “Door #3” is an instrumental that
OCTOBER 2021
features an infectious melody, tight guitar harmonies, and countless smokin’ guitar runs. In fact, this track sounds like the Nashville A-Team could have recorded it during extra studio time following an early-ending Jimmy Dean session. The recording sound on this record suits the music, too — it’s clean, simple, and uncluttered with gimmickry, which lets the music remain the focal point. Pick up a copy of The Royal Hounds’ “Whole Lot of Nothin’,” drop the needle on the record, and soon you’ll be a-GRINNIN’ with pure delight. — Ronnie Joyner l The Royal Hounds have been described as Nashville’s answer
to Spinal Tap, and their latest album, “A Whole Lot of Nothin’,” sure is a lot of fun. For me, there is just one flaw. “Cheap Drunk,” the album’s opening salvo, is so strong I find it difficult to continue further into the album. The desire to go back and play “Cheap Drunk” on repeat is too strong. There’s a lot of good music on this album, and most of it may well appeal to readers of Honky Tonk Times more than “Cheap Drunk” will, but from a Whiskey Preachin perspective, “Cheap Drunk” causes total devastation to our minds. We want this track on the next Whiskey Preachin compilation, no question about it. — Tony Sexton, Whiskey Preachin l
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