Dawn Landes – Sweetheart Rodeo (Cooking Vinyl)

Dawn Landes is an american singer songwriter who writes and plays what I think as folk rock with a dash of country in the mix and she has made an album that is catchy, enjoyable and an album that lingers in your mind after you’ve finished listening to it. It starts off with the rocking opener Young Girl that shows off her lyrics, melodies, vocals and the kick ass band behind her putting their touches to her fantastic songwriting. Romeo is a simple but very catchy track that has a catchy drumbeat with very effect use of the keyboard, and her voice stands out here. Money In The Bank gives me hints of Cat Power and it is a good solid song that highlights the songwriting, vocals and her lyrics, it’s slow paced track that let’s the vocals and melodies take you away into the music. Love is one of the two tracks that aren’t written by Dawn the other being Dance Area. This is a catchy rock ditty, that short very catchy and let’s the vocals and rhythms take you away. Good use of backing vocals. Sweetheart Of The Rodeo well is very a much roots country rock track that shows off the band, great use of Harmonica and mandolin. Makes you feel like you’re in some bar in Texas with the band in the background, your tappping away. Clown is very much like a lot of the songs, nicely written, catchy and let the lyrics and vocals do the work and have effect use of the band and not over power the song that the music is not lost. Wandering Eye is very much a country track and you’re in that bar again and you’re tapping away, letting the music takes you over and you’re having a good time. Love the use of Harmonica and piano. Little Miss Holiday is a sweet little track that let’s the lyrics and vocals shine and shows off her songwriting and how she can write both the upbeat and the sweet laid-back ballades track. Dance Area is not written by Dawn but she makes the song her own and let’s the band her voice do the magic and make it something very special. Brighton a beautiful track that let’s her songwriting and vocals shine and you cannot help but moved by it. Finishes off with All Dressed In White is a good instrumental track and of the few albums I’ve come across which have done this and it’s a good way to finish off. I really loved this album there is something about Dawn’s songwriting and the way she writes such the perfect tune. I also loved it for the mixture of good upbeat and laid-back songs. Her music is so easy to get lost into which I was here. She is a fine singer songwriter with a successful career ahead of her. This is only her second album and a fine one at that. If you like a singer songwriter who writes good catchy tunes and beautiful laid back tunes then Dawn Landes is for you. Loved it.