Review: Hillbilly Vegas – Long Way Back EP
Conquest Music (July 12th, 2024)
Reviewer: Jason Hopper
Hillbilly Vegas is not a band that has crossed my radar and if I’m being frank, the name alone signals to me this band would not be my cup of tea. I have nothing against a southern, blues-based rock band sound, it’s just not a preferred subgenre. I decided to check out their title track and found it to be a bit more rocking than I would have expected. It had a sound that was a nice mix of both Cinderella’s Long Cold Winter style and Poison’s Native Tongue era. Upon further review, I was perplexed. With no promo attached, I did a bit of research and found that the opening title track was released 10 years ago! But it appears this their new EP added that older track with some new ones to promote a returning UK tour for the band. For a small-town band from Oklahoma to get the chance to tour another country not just once, but twice is no small feat and I imagine the EP serves to maintain momentum while introducing potential fans who are not familiar with the band on that side of the pond.
As for the new songs, they were all a pleasant surprise. The band has a rock’n’roll vibe that makes them stand out from other groups, reminding me of tracks I’ve heard from more well-known bands of the rock genre. ‘Down The Honkytonk’ has a similar feel to Cinderella’s ‘Shelter Me’, with a chorus assisted by female background singers, giving it a soulful approach while still maintaining high energy. Both ‘Helluva Night’ and ‘Hey Y’all’ have a rockabilly swing to them, but damn that swing is infectious. If you are familiar with the Bulletboys cover version of ‘Talk to Your Daughter’, that’s the feel you get for these songs, and that suits me just fine.
While I dig all the songs on this release, my favorite clear and away is ‘Oklahoma 3.2’. It’s a song that sounds like it could have easily been included on the terrific (and highly underrated) Poison album ‘Crack a Smile’. Lead singer Steve Harris even tries to emulate the vocal approach of Bret Michaels. An overall fun track about girls, drinking, and partying. The perfect Friday night cut loose tune to kickstart the weekend.
This is the type of southern style, country-tinged, rockin’ blues that I can really dig. I’m not a fan of many bands playing this style, but when done well it pushes all the right buttons for me. This band knows how to maintain a fun party vibe while laying down some solid hooks that make you move to the groove. I am going to have to check out their past releases and keep an eye out for future albums. If you like any of the bands and their styles referenced above, don’t let this release pass you by. At a breezy 20 minutes, this EP is an easy and fun listen and is well worth your time.
Tracklist:
- Long Way Back
- Down the Honkytonk
- Helluva Night
- Oklahoma 3.2
- Hey Y’all
- Down the Honkytonk (Radio Edit)
Line-up:
Steve Harris – Lead Vocals / Guitar
Stacy Thornburg – Guitar / Vocals
Johnny Reed – Guitar / Vocals
Robb Edwards – Bass / Vocals
Troy Hollinger – Drums
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