When I heard that world-class crooner Miss Georgia Peach was making a country album with her pals from Nashville Pussy, I expected something special. A long time in the making, Aloha from Kentucky finally releases today on Rum Bar Records. And sure enough, it's an absolute monster of an album! This collaboration features two of the most beloved husband-and-wife teams in the rock and roll universe. Miss Georgia Peach and Travis Ramin (The Short Fuses, Beebe Gallini) are on lead vocals and drums. Ruyter Suys and Blaine Cartwright are on guitar. Also on board are former Nine Pound Hammer members Mark Hendricks (bass), Scott Luallen (vocals on "Bull and the Beaver"), and Brian Pulito (co-production and mixing). Now that, my friends, is a star-studded cast!
Aloha from Kentucky traces its roots back to Rhinestone Chassis, Georgia and Travis's country/rockabilly trio from many moons ago. Many of these songs were in that band's setlist. A mutual love for classic country music eventually brought all of these talented individuals together, and their efforts do not disappoint. I'm sure someone will describe this record as "alt country". But that term makes me think of dad rock. Aloha from Kentucky isn't your parents' music -- it's your grandparents' music! And that makes it five times as cool. This album is right in the wheelhouse of 1960s and '70s country music with a rock and roll edge. 12 of 15 tracks are covers, and the song selection is formidable. MGP and friends serve up stellar renditions of songs made famous by the likes of Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard & Leona Williams, Jeannie C. Riley, and Johnny Cash & June Carter. A full third of the covers are drawn from the catalog of Wanda Jackson -- one of the greatest of all the country rock and rollers and undeniably a major influence on this album.
Over the years, MGP has proven herself adept at musical genres ranging from punk to garage to hard rock to rhythm & blues. On Aloha from Kentucky, she sounds like she was born to sing country music. Over the course of this record, she's everything you want a singer to be: tough, tender, sweet, sassy, fun, and feisty. Whether she's belting out classic feminist country anthems like "Big Iron Skillet" or "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)", showing her flair for storytelling on "The Back Side of Dallas", or tearing your heart out on the tearjerker originals "Adam Neal Waltz" and "Don't Stay Away", she sounds 100% in her element. The covers show great respect for these songs' classic versions without being straight copies -- an example of what you can do with great material, exceptional musicians, and a dynamite singer. The original songs are strong enough to fit right in, and honestly the album would not be the same without them. Standout cuts are hard to identify because every song seems essential. But I've got a particularly soft spot for the duets (come on: you can't do classic country without duets!). MGP and Scott Luallen sound so great together on "Bull and the Beaver" that we all might have to demand a full album called Georgia and Scott Sing the Classics! Ruyter Suys absolutely slays the Johnny Cash lines on a rocked-up, super fun version of "Jackson". Blaine Cartwright and MGP fill massive shoes on the Conway Twitty/Loretta Lynn number "You Blow My Mind" and make an absolutely adorable pairing on Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan's 1970 hit "Tennessee Bird Walk".
While Miss Georgia Peach's name is on the cover, Aloha from Kentucky is the ultimate full band effort. Nobody was trying to reinvent the wheel here. These fine folks turned out a top-notch rockin' country record -- the likes of which have rarely been heard in recent decades. I choose to believe that these recording sessions were fueled by barbeque and cheap beer. All stops were pulled out to make this album a complete package. Aloha from Kentucky features cover art by the legendary Rockin Jelly Bean and amazing liner notes by WFMU radio personality Dave the Spazz. A vinyl edition of this album (a rare thing for Rum Bar Records) is set for a July release and already close to selling out. Get your preorders in while you still can! Having already released the best two albums of 2022 so far, Malibu Lou has now gone three for three! If you rightfully believe that Dolly Parton belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Aloha from Kentucky is the album for you.
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