Search - Paladins :: Matador

Wow!! Good Record from the Pals...Worth It.

The Idey | Raise, NV | 09/27/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ok, here's the deal with El Matador. If you like The Paladins as a whole and aren't an album by album type of fan then you'll dig this. It's the Pals doing what they do. Combo of old time rock n roll, country and rockabilly along the lines of Palvoline. But it swings and it rocks. The Deal with El Matador is this. It's a good record for playing around the house. The writing is fine, it's easy. The Pals were never known as a heavy "songwriting" type of band. That isn't where the focus is for most of the listeners out there, just something they could sing along to easy. No politics, no heavy stuff, just fun.There isnt a lot of heavy Gonzalez guitar solos on this although the playing is great and complicated.

Brian Fahey is of course right on with his drumming, and the mix has the drums up front which is nice. Brian gets a chance to branch out a bit, proving once again, he can blow most guys away on drums. A true talentThe bass is tricky. This record was recorded and mixed by Thomas with no outside intervention from the band. As a result, the mix sounds quite different from previous producers (mark neill) If you don't have good bass in your car, turn it all the way down. Then it sounds like a 50's record. At home, it sounds fine, even with a tiny panasonic bookshelf system. Now, for the longest time, there have been you fans and critics alike who have chided The Pals on their records, and that's to be expected. All the guitar people from the early days don't like the new stuff, too country. Or the rockabillies don't like it because it's too blues. The Paladins are about playing roots music. If you arent down with that and are still on the whole "stevie ray vaughan" kick, with the 2 hour guitar solos and whatnot, then skip the criticism due to your lack of growth, and go pick up the record that suits you. If you are a rockabilly, you should dig this. If you are a first time pals fan and you like country, go get slippin in. More blues?? Pick up Let's Buzz. El Matador is a GREAT record. A few good instrumentals. It's worth the purchase. If you are going in to this thinking you are going to be blown away by screaming guitars, don't. It's not that type of record. The live shows are for that. This is very much an "album" oriented record, not a singles record.What you have here is a good record, mature, competent, with good songs, one that you won't become familiar right away with. Sometimes after a few spins, you've got the record down. Not so here. An enjoyable record from The Paladins, just different!!. The emphasis is on something different right now. If you don't like it at first, listen to it more. If you didn't want the same record over and over again, then here you go. I like the Pals in that, from slippin in on, the records have become more complicated, more mature. That's why you don't love them right away, as you did with the first 3 records. It needs a different ear to hear it, which is cool, because with roots music, it's the new presentation that makes it good. Roots has been around forever and could get old or repetitious. The Paladins are one of the few bands out there to still continually tour and play roots music. Go to the shows. Support it. There are very few bands like this out there that are this accessible. Do your part. Bit of advice for the one star reviewer. GET OUT OF ROOTS MUSIC. IT'S NOT YOUR DEAL. Show me a roots album that doesnt sound like any other roots music before it. Sandy, Deke, all those guys, they get it from roots music!! That one star is jive by the way. The Paladins have never done anything one star. If they did they would'nt have survived this long."

Progressive Roots??

Nariaki Imamura | Osaka | 10/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album threw me for a loop at first. Which is why I'll always buy every single Paladins album. More than anything else, it seems these guys focus on crafting a specific, defining *sound* for each individual record--and each one truly *sounds* different. This emphasis on crafting a tailored sonic landscape with each new album is such an important approach to musicmaking, and one that is so often ignored or deemed unimportant, that I can't help but be overwhelmed by each new Paladins album. They never repeat territory they have already traversed. And in a genre like roots music, that is amazing. These guys might be the only "progressive roots" outfit known to man. No one remotely sounds like these guys, not ever. The songwriting ranges from good to sublime. "Blue Cascade" is the most deeply profound conclusion to any record I've heard in a long time. An amazing album. 5 stars."

Thier difinitive recording as of yet...

Rocker33 | Bear City, CA | 07/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of all the terrific recordings the Paladins have recoreded, this may be the difinitive one, as of today. Thier recordings in general all do sound the same. So you can literally go to thier section at the record store close your eyes and grab something, and be happy with whatever it is. However this cd shows a bit more growth than previous albums, and more maturity. The vocals have gotten stronger, and more appealing, and guitar solos more intricate, the slap bass never sounded better, and the drums just glide smoothly. A great set of fun rockabilly, mixed with some exotic Spainish sounds, as well as western swing/honky tonk, and a HUGE dose of downbeat in rockin' blues! A+++"