The Bottom Line
Deftly blending elements of the Midwest with the Old West, the Hacienda Brothers
have managed to combine cowboy music with Motown, resulting in their own unique sound
(which they've taken to calling "Western soul"). It's a little odd, occasionally, to hear great old
R & B hits like the Box Tops' "Cry Like A Baby" mixed with a little Mexican-flavored
accordion, but what the hey? It's pretty good.
Pros
- "If Daddy Don't Sing Danny Boy"
- "Cry Like A Baby"
- "Son of Saguaro"
Cons
- "What's Wrong With Right"
Description
- Produced by the legendary songwriter/producer, Dan Penn.
- Second release from the group, originally from Tucson (now based in Los Angeles).
- Thirteen tracks, including eight tunes written by band members.
Guide Review - Hacienda Brothers - What's Wrong With Right
The Hacienda Brothers hail from Tucson, Arizona (and why anyone would want to leave Tucson
for L.A. is beyond me - I left myself under great duress and after twenty years I still miss it), and
consist of lead vocalist Chris Gaffney, vocalist and guitarist Dave Gonzalez, bass player Hank
Maninger, steel player David Berzanskey, and drummer Dale Daniel. These five talented guys
are obviously not actually brothers, but down around these parts, the "hacienda" is usually the
big house where everyone on the ranch gathers, often to share something like music, so the name
certainly fits.
The front men of the Haciendas, Dave Gonzalez and Chris Gaffney, together with producer Dan Penn, work hard to bring together the R & B sounds with the pure Western flare that absolutely personifies the group. Chris Gaffney brings along a long and distinguished background with him; he's played with everyone from Ferlin Husky to Dave Alvin. Gonzalez is a sought-after session musician and fronted San Diego's Paladins. Together they worked out a way to bring their love of soul to country music, and somehow it all works out.
Now, I'll admit I'm not a big fan of Chris Gaffney's homey voice, which has a slight quaver to it; still, he knows how to deliver a song, and there's nothing at all wrong with the music.
