Americana UK

Old Californio "Westering Again" (Independent, 2009)

Nuggets from the Golden State...

With a name like Old Californio and an album title like 'Westering Again', you fear that somebody might be trying just a little too hard to conjure the spirit of West Coast rock. It is certainly pleasing to find a band happy to invoke names such as Moby Grape, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Spirit in their promotional material, as such influences remain criminally unfashionable, but is it possible to truly capture a sound and ethos so irrevocably rooted in a certain time and place? Thankfully, whilst Old Californio can never truly match such illustrious predecessors, they do a fine job of furthering their legacy.

Familiar tropes are immediately identifiable. The roots influences, warm harmonies, bright guitars, dynamic shifts and a pastoral feel are all present and correct, whilst the riff from opener 'Mother Road' could have been lifted straight from a Grateful Dead show in 1971. Unlike many revivalists, Old Californio also seem to understand that jamming was a fundamental component of the sound and whilst they don't quite provide a psychedelic maelstrom, there are tantalising hints on songs such as 'Warmth of the Sun' or 'Lazy Old San Gabriels'.

But preventing them from being mere revivalists, is the songwriting of Rich Dembowksi, who brings a classic pop sensibility to the country-folk underpinning. His vocals come sometimes be a little anonymous but this does not detract greatly from his facility with melody, which provides some quite original and innovative progressions on 'Harmony' and 'California Goodness'. This latter track closes the album and seems to sum it up perfectly, offering a lyrical celebration of California which ably assimilates its musical traditions whilst simultaneously channelling them in new directions.

Date review added:  Friday, May 01, 2009
Reviewer:  Kai Roberts
Reviewers Rating:

OLD CALIFORNIO

Every once in awhile, a band or artist comes along warranting a bit more attention because of that something special you can hear but cannot describe. The release of their new album, Westering Again, should have fans and critics alike scratching their heads, wondering where these guys came from. Melody and harmony driven, hook-laden, their songs settle in your ears like old friends yet stray just far enough from the tracks to keep it interesting. Not many reviews will make the front page of Rock & Reprise outside of the New Album Reviews section, but these guys are special. They deserve it. Read on...

OLD CALIFORNIO
Westering Again

Damn! These guys are good! In fact, they are what the Eagles should be and aren't. They rock out, blend voices like pros and, when they want, put on the chaps for a ride down a country road, without the twang. They crunch like Crazy Horse, pull in just enough 60s Brit Rock to keep it interesting and sound like the best of the 70s. They have the drive of Heartsfield and the smooth harmonies of Pure Prairie League or Cowboy. At times, they are Cat Mother on a great night, and I know because I caught them on a great night.

Yet Old Californio isn't derivative. When they sound like someone else, it is the ghost of your musical past and not theirs. For myself, I hear early Eagles vocals here and there, sometimes between some of the best guitar licks this side of Illinois Speed Press and the Hoodoo Gurus (Warmth of the Sun), Elton John-like lyrics and vocals with Beatle-esque guitar (Harmony) and even a momentary touch of Marmalade (Lazy Old San Gabriels). I hear Paul Cotton-fronted Poco and Bruce Hornsby and Chris Berardo and the Desberardos, those country rockin' yokels from the East Coast.

Rich Dembowski wrote all ten songs, every one a stunner. I mention it because he deserves it. You'll undoubtedly hear more from him.

Oh, yeah. Westering Again is from a John Steinbeck work, The Leader of the People, taken from The Red Pony. In case you were wondering.

Tell you what. I'm afraid to write anything more. Music this good should not be talked about. It should be heard. Comes in a great hand-screened cover, too. Do yourself a favor. Head over to their MySpace page and take a listen. Better yet, just order it. If you don't, you might be missing your album of the year. It's in my Top Five and moving higher with each listen.

Frank O. Gutch Jr.

Old Californio Resounds at Grand Ole Echo

Posted 20 days ago

Artist:

Old Californio

Album:

Westering Again

Track:

..

Mother Road

Gary Numan asked, “Are friends electric?” I ask, “Was my weekend eclectic?” Short answer: Hell, yes!

Friday night during a soirée at a friend's home on the West side of Los Angeles, powerful operatic tenor Carlos De Antonis stood in the middle of the living room and sang “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini's “Turandot," moving some of the guests to tears - and even bringing a lump to the throat of this hard-hearted rocker. On Saturday night, it was off to the Echoplex in Echo Park for a visit to Bootie L.A. - the fab sister party to the long-running San Francisco mash-up event - where DJ Schmolli of the Bootie crew in Munich, Germany, brought a handful of his lederhosen-clad pals on stage to clomp around to such kinetic mixes as his monumental “Mash Me Amadeus,” which rams together Falco, Nelly, Luniz, and a few other artists to jubilant effect.

Then came Sunday. I was back in Echo Park from the late afternoon to the early evening for the 2009 kickoff of the Grand Ole Echo alt-country/Americana/roots music concert series (complete with backyard barbecue). The venue was the Echo, which is the club located upstairs from the Echoplex. Or is the Echoplex the club located downstairs from the Echo? No matter. There was fun to be had with three tuneful, creative ensembles mining strains of country & western, folk, and rock music with very satisfying results. No clinkers here.

Old Californio, the middle band on the bill, was my favorite of the show, although their comrades - opener Whispering Pines and closer I See Hawks in L.A. - were just as adept and entertaining with their chiming/twanging/sliding guitars and hearty vocal harmonies. All three bands are descendants of Southern Cali forebears such as The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco and the Eagles, with varying degrees of rock, roll, and rustic in their DNA. What a perfect way to spend an early spring twilight in the City of the Angels!

Because the members of Old Californio were celebrating the release of their sterling debut album Westering Again, they might have had a little more oomph to their set. They're the most rockin' of the three groups, leaning as much on the rough, raw, homespun sound of Neil Young & Crazy Horse and the R&B-influenced, but pop-wise British Invasion stalwarts The Who and Faces as on folk and country elements. And that especially shined through at the Echo as they showcased tracks from Westering Again, all of which were written by genial singer/guitarist Rich Dembowski.

On stage, the quintet's positivity - so evident in their rambling “Mother Road,” as well as the more down-home “Just Like Joseph Campbell” - was infectious. There were hints of Grateful Dead-style filigree that flashed in the guitar work of Dembowski and Woody Aplanalp and the roiling sound of keyboardist Levi Nuñez. And the dynamic instrumental interplay between bassist Jason Chesney and drummer Justin Smith on the rumbling “Harmony” inspired memories of The Who's rhythm section John Entwistle and Keith Moon at full throttle.

Old Californio

Guitarist Paul Lacques of I See Hawks in L.A. added some whirlwind pedal-steel to a couple of songs at the end of Old Californio's set. The coup de grace was a scintillating cover of “Hey Grandma,” the late '60s proto-country-rock shuffle-with-a-sting from San Francisco psychedelic trail-blazers Moby Grape.

I left the Echo after enjoying some fine tunes from I See Hawks in L.A. Amazingly, I was feeling refreshed after quite a long weekend. I was also sure I'd be revisiting Old Californio at the next opportunity.

Ick’s Pick (Week XIV): Old Californio’s new album, ‘Westering Again’

April 7th, 2009

No comments

Sure, I could steer you toward the new Neil Young, Richard Swift, or Doves albums - all out this week - but this one’s been on steady rotation for several weeks now, and it would be silly of me not to make this my Ick’s Pick o’ the week. A few weeks ago, I announced myself blown away by this band: Pasadena’s Old Californio, and their new album, Westering Again - largely due to the mind-blowing infectiousness of the opening tune, “Mother Road”.

Well, today’s the day the album is unleashed to the masses, and I strongly recommend you visit one of the links below to pick it up. If you’d be interested in a diverse American album drawing on influences ranging from Gram Parsons and Moby Grape to the Grateful Dead and Crazy Horse, you’d be well served by hearing this album. Here’s my “Mother Road” post that goes into the band and album in more detail. And, you can still rock out to “Mother Road”…

BUY Westering Again here on iTunes or here on CD Baby.

HEAR Old Californio - Riparian High (mp3)

VISIT: Old Californio on MySpace

THE SILVER LINING: Reviews by Paul Silver

OLD CALIFORNIO – Westering Again (www.oldcalifornio.com)

Old Californio, based in Pasadena, California, is a country-tinged rock band. But don’t let that fool you. I am not normally a fan of country music or country rock but this is something different. Sure, there’s plenty of twang, but there’s also plenty of 60s and 70s influenced rock and folk-rock. “From the Mouths of Babes” sounds like it could have been from Bob Dylan, down to the characteristic vocals and the accordian and mandolin. “Warmth of the Sun sounds almost Beatles-like. “Are You Coming Home” just glides along in a brilliant, sparkly way. The piano contributes a lot to that feeling. But the stand-out track on the disc has to be “Riparian High,” the second track. It features trumpets in the mix along with the acoustic guitars and mandolin, giving it a slightly jazz, yet ethnic feel, very cool. It’s almost like the prog-rock from the first Ambrosia album of yore. Now, this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s especially true for Jersey Beat readers. But it’s really well executed, enjoyable music.

Old Californio: Westering Again

Opening with the bright and breezy "Mother Road", Old Californio make an immediate impact with their jaunty guitar led melody and the delicate clarity of vocalist Rich Dembowski. The whimsical "Riparian High" is a real delight with some smooth trumpet accompaniment from Slim Zweling and an almost psychedelic vibe that evokes the spirit of the 60's Californian sound and in particular reminds me of the Byrds around the time of Fifth Dimension. Westering Again is the second album from Old Californio after a significant period of time has passed since debut Along The Cosmic Grass. Apparently recorded in their old chicken coop garage turned recording studio in Pasadena (and with crystal clear production) the press release unsurprisingly cites influences that include Moby Grape, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Crazy Horse but this represents a refreshingly unique take of some old themes.

With a county twang introduction, "City Lines" stretches out to more than six minutes and has an insistent groove and the laid back vibe of "From the Mouths of Babes" is given further resonance by a vocal delivery full of yearning. Tucked away near the end is the subtle and inventive "Lazy Old San Gabriels" where the band take the tempo up a notch with excellent results. Stark closing ballad "California Goodness" sums up the whole album which is really warm sounding throughout and is highlighted by some wonderful playing with the sum total being a vivid reinterpretation of the past.

It might represent something of a departure from the usual SoT fare but those with an open mind and broad tastes would be well advised to dive right in.

Track Listing
Mother Road
Riparian High
City Lines
Just Like Joseph Campbell
From the Mouths of Babes
Warmth of the Sun
Harmony
Lazy Old San Gabriels
Are You Coming Home
California Goodness

Added: April 5th 2009
Reviewer: Dean Pedley
Score:
Related Link: Band MySpace
Hits: 115
Language: english

Old Californio - Westering Again

There are only a few regions around the great 48 that seem to have their own sound or musical vibe that serves as an identifiable tag of sorts to the rest of the country. I can’t help but think of Texas when I listen to Willie’s Red Headed Stranger or anything from Joe Ely, for that matter. Those greats sound like Texas should sound to me. California, and the canyons that surround Los Angeles, to be specific, possess the same locational-vibe-identification. Listen to works from early-day Eagles and Buffalo Springfield or even latter-day canyon dwellers such as Jenny Lewis and her latest, Acid Tongue, to see what I am getting at here.

Westering Again by San Gabriel Mountains-area quintet Old Californio is a great example of what I am talking about when I look to define how California sounds. I can’t help but get the impression that they are shooting for this, given their band name and many of the titles of various californi-centric tracks. “California Goodness” and “Lazy Old San Gabriels” show off that sunny, almost Brian Wilsonian vibe that we have come to expect from songs about the Golden State (well, it would be more so if Brian Wilson wasnt so freaking concerned with catching waves, but just hangin’ and catchin a decent buzz in a cabin somewhere that was a safe distance from the water). “City Lines” displays yet another great sonic style that has unique origins, Bakersfield Honky-Tonk. The song’s intro twangs with a sense of urgency that brings to mind the great Buck Owens instrumental, “Buckaroo” or the appropriately titled, “Streets of Bakersfield”.

While there may be albums or bands that sound very “Delaware” or very “South Dakota” (no offense to those states, they’re quite lovely), there is something about the imagery of the wacky state to the west that seems to inspire artists generation after generation. Old Californio has mined the fertile territory of their California mountain home to create what might be there state tourism office’s greatest commercial.

Audio Download: Old Californio, “Just Like Joseph Campbell”

Westering Again

Old Californio

Available from iTunes.

A review written for the Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange
by Bob Gottlieb
(taoboy@cox.net)

This CD at times brings back memories of Southern California Rock/ Country a la Poco or Gram Parsons' era Byrds, mixed with a dash of San Francisco, the country side of Moby Grape (one of the most overlooked and perhaps the most versatile of the 60's San Francisco bands), including their fuzzy and at times psychedelic guitars (think the guitar interplay of Jerry Miller, Peter Lewis and Skip Spence early the first Moby Grape album). Now we are not saying Old Californio (rather an unwieldy name) displays the brilliance of the Grape but they display many of the same sonic qualities. Rich Dembrowski is the sole songwriter and the lead singer of the group (another aside here and I apologize for all of them but on the disc I got there are no credits given so lets hope it was an advance copy, though that wasn't indicated) as well as one of the guitar players, along with Woody Aplanalp on the other guitar; drummer Justin Smith, bassist Jason Chesney, and keyboardist Levi Nunez round out the group.

It is a sunny disc that has many very interesting moments on it that just seem to perk up the mood; there are also a couple of songs that do not work as well. On one or two cuts they add horns that at times just don't seem to work with their sound. Overall there is a quite a bit to like and enjoy, and if the band grows there is some real nice potential here.

Track List:

Mother Road

Riparian High

City Lines

Just Like Joseph Campbell

From the Mouths of Babes

Warmth of the Sun

Harmony

Lazy Old San Gabriels

Are You Coming Home

California Goodness

Edited by: David N. Pyles
(dnpyles@acousticmusic.com)

Copyright 2009, Peterborough Folk Music Society.
This review may be reprinted with prior permission and attribution.