Bottom Line:With 13 well-produced tracks, Texas-based Lantana's debut album Unbridled proves that an independent release can have the sound, look and feel of an album released by a record label with deep pockets. With the right amount of promotion, Lantana should find an audience for this well-crafted album.
A Trio Comes Together
Equally successful in their previous lives, Texans Biz Haddock, Karol Ann DeLong and Canada native Dalene Richelle, the three women that make up Lantana, didn't need to start a musical career. However, each woman's own desire for performing lead them to the formation of the trio. Based in Dallas, Texas, Lantana was signed to BGM Records to release their thirteen-song CD Unbridled.Their first single,
"Country As A City Girl Can Be," leads off the record. Currently inside the Top 30 of the Texas Music Chart the song features lead vocals from each of the band members while the melody of the song is strongly played by some session musicians in Texas that rival any of those currently working in Nashville. The production by Bill Green is top notch as well, a good sign for an unknown group recording for a little-known label.
"Ride 'Em Cowboy" and
"I Ain't Your Jailer" are fun tracks while the banjo and fiddle-laced
"The Juice Ain't Worth Your Squeeze" showcases that the trio can write songs as well as they sing them (particularly with it's fun song title).
The up-tempo songs continue along with the sassy "No Tresspassin'" Jeffrey Steele's fun "Everything" and "You Know How It Is." Recalling SheDaisy, the latter song, penned by Byron Hill and Odie Blackmon, certainly has the lyric melody and vocal of a mainstream hit. The gorgeous ballad "Let Somebody Love You" also has future hit potential. It's one of those songs that instantly struck me in the gut with honest lyrics and a heart-felt vocal delivery.
With twangy guitars and fun piano fills, "Give" has a strong message with its lyric of "it's not what you get it's what you give" in regards to how people will remember you when your life is over. It's a variation on the "you get what you give" theme. "Roll With The Changes" is another tempo track with some great banjo fills while "Saving It Up For Saturday Night" is a cool track written (with Tom Paden) by two former Ricochet band members, Eddie Kilgallon and Greg Cook. "What Turns Me On" is a funky little track that's similar to what Shania Twain's made a career out of (I.E. a song for the ladies that has lyrics about a man who refuses to do certain things). "Feel Like Rockin'" is a song that ends the album with an anthem that screams 'Girl's Night Out.'
With thirteen well-presented tracks, Dallas, Texas-based Lantana is certainly a band to keep an eye on. In addition to the well produced music, the album artwork doesn't have the look of a limited budget and recalls the cover of Little Big Town's Equity Records album. The inside of the booklet includes lyrics and all the pertinent musician information and, of course, thank you notes from each of the ladies. If you like fun, up tempo contemporary country music, you should check out Lantana's Unbridled. It is a joyful listen that sounds as good on repeated listening as it did the first time.
