Posted on: September 20, 2015 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Lovers & Liars is a country song that would work perfectly on C&W radio in the 1960s; the raw emotion of Elliot during this introductory track will immediately draw in fans of Hank Williams and Conway Twitty. There is little more instrumentally to this introductory effort than a lap steel and the lightest of percussion, but the vibrancy of the narrative that is created could fill up a story book. This is the allure of Rick Elliot; there is a sound that can be enjoyed by all country fans.

rick-elliot-ep

The titular effort on West of the Rockies has a walking bass line and a quicker tempo that elicits visions of The Highwaymen or Alan Jackson. The call and response of the chorus adds further complexity to an already dense and bushy track; listeners will have to spin this single a number of times before they hear everything that has been placed.

Let It Shine keeps the energy of West of the Rockies high; the guitars, drums, and Rick’s vocals unite to make something that chugs along. This single is down and dirty country rock that will appease fans of 38 Special and Lynyrd Skynyrd; the back and forth between the guitars and drums here is a particular highlight.

West of the Rockies concludes with If I Agreed With You and Delta 88; the former refreshes the country of the seventies to a current ear (hints of David Frizzell can be heard), while the latter slows things down and puts a bow onto the effort. The care that Elliot takes in each of the 6 tracks of this EP ensres that one will continue to play the release long after they can sing along to each effort.

Top Tracks: West of the Rockies, Let It Shine

Rating: 8.2/10

Rick Elliot West of the Rockies CD Review / 2015 Self / 6 Tracks / http://rickelliotmusic.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/RickElliotMusic / https://twitter.com/rickelliotmusic

Leave a Comment