Ben Reddell Band – ¡LA Baby!

Texas native-turned-Angeleno Ben Reddell honors both his adopted city and his homeland of Texas on his EP, LA Baby, out today.

LA has a storied history of honky tonks, but unfortunately, few of the historic ones are still operating. However, one person is responsible for keeping that outlaw spirit alive and well in California and that’s Ben who hosts and organizes the Grand Ole Echo, originally founded by Kim Grant. As well as being a community leader, promoter and preserver of Western musical ephemera, Ben has last released EP with his band in 2012 but has been plenty busy since then, playing with Leslie and the Badgers, Elijah Ocean, and of course, GospelbeacH.

Recorded at Mono Deluxe, the band consists of Jonny Neimann, Elijah Ocean, Travis Popichak, Matt Pynn, Joe Bourdet, and Jeremy Long. The lush, maximalist opening track, “My Baby” features rollicking guitar riffs and an exuberant piano solo. Things get rough and rowdy on “Cocaine” and the high lonesome “Tumbleweed” features soaring pedal steel. Towards the end of the album, things take a Tejano twist on “If You Love Her and You Need Her” and “Good Thing,” a real return to Ben’s roots. The album is pure GOE fodder – a boot-stompin’, hard-drinkin’, at-times-bordering-ironic-but-with-enough-heartfelt-sincerity-to-remain-a-real-good-timin’ record.

Buy ¡LA Baby! on Amazon..