Lone Justice
Live at The Palomino (1983)
Omnivore Recordings
A Very Early Alternative to Alt. Country.
Most Live Recordings don’t stand the test of time and are generally a snapshot of where that particular artiste or band were at that time in their existence; and the latter is very true of this exciting 35 minute long Album from a nascent Lone Justice in 1983 who still hadn’t released their groundbreaking debut album yet.
When you hear Maria’s reverential pleading on opening track You Are The Light, you are hearing a woman not yet finding her voice; but still leading her band from front and centre with more confidence than her tender years should have allowed.
There’s a youthful swagger to Drugstore Cowboy and The Train that I should have expected, but somehow didn’t …… those old Lone Justice albums never sounded this exciting; nor how could they?
It’s interesting to read in the accompanying sleeve-notes that it was after seeing Elvis Costello playing the Country songs that would make up Almost Blue, at The Palomino Club that turned Ryan Hedgecock’s head towards Ye Olde Country Music and away from Rockabilly. It was that very same album that was the gateway to what has become an obsession for me here at RMHQ.
There’s a delightful innocence to the way the quartet approach their collective songwriting on Dustbowl Depression Time and The Grapes of Wrath and maybe I See It, but simplicity has paid a lot of bills in Nashville over the years and these songs all have a magnificently danceable beat supplied by Don Willens on the tiniest drum kit I’ve seen in years….. but size isn’t everything, is it?
Baring in mind their peers and probably friends too were dressing like extras in Dallas or Magnum PI the night this was recorded in 1983; Lone Justice were treading a very dangerous and lonely path covering Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash songs while Maria McKee was undoubtedly channelling her inner Dolly Parton; but in her Honky Tonk years!
My favourite track here and it’s also one that sounds like it should be an actual Classic Country tune; is Marvin Etzioni’s Working Late; an audience request on the night and a song worthy of everyone from Dolly through Reba and it wouldn’t surprise me if Margo Price was to ever cover it….. it’s a doozy!
It’s all over far too quickly; but they played two shows that night; as was the way back then and they had to allow for two sets from their support act….. guess who? Only bloody Dwight Yoakam! That’s who.
This is being released as part of the Record Store Day 2019 shenanigans; but it’s a keeper in many ways so don’t you let it get lost in the madness of April 12th……. order a copy now; you won;t regret it.
Released April 12th 2019
http://omnivorerecordings.com/lone-justice/
The Rocking Magpie 