Patrón – Self Titled

By RingMaster Review on July 13, 2020 • ( 0 )

In a year destined to be ingrained in the memory of people and history for obvious globally changing reasons there have been similarly moments musically which have made the kind of impact here which will stay and inspire for years to come. The latest is the introduction of Patrón and a debut album which left ears and imagination lustfully basking in the boldest most thrilling adventure heard in recent times.

Patrón is the new project from Lo (aka Patrón), the frontman/guitarist of groove rockers Loading Data. It is an adventure tagged as desert lounge punk but as their self-titled album soon reveals, one which weaves a tapestry of sound and imagination bred from a wide array of styles and flavours. For the release produced by Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, Eleven, Them Crooked Vultures, Chris Cornell Band), Patrón invited a host of friends to join its creation, a debut seeing the likes of Joey Castillo (Danzig, Queens of the Stone Age, The Bronx…), Barrett Martin (Mad Season, Screaming Trees, Tuatara…), Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, Mondo Generator), Aurélien Barbolosi (Aston Villa), and Monique St Walker (Blackbird Days) involved.

As mentioned musically Patrón crafts a fascinating web of sound and suggestion, a theatre of dark rock ‘n’ roll which song by song takes ears and imagination into the darkest corners of life, seduction, and devilment. Every moment of the first album is a source of unique temptation. Certainly there are essences which remind of other bands a touch; an amalgam hinting on the likes The Ugly Kings, Queens of the Stone Age, The Filthy Tongues, Transport League and understandably with Lo’s distinct tones, Loading Data but from start to finish the release grips with an individuality and exclusivity, dare we say eccentricity, which is like no other.

The album immediately hooked keen attention with opener Room with a view, the electrified lure of guitars wagging an inviting sonic finger which is soon wound in the most delicious of similarly delivered hooks. Its tang is pure temptation, a flirtatious pull on ears soon joined by the earthy snarl of bass and the crisp swing of rhythms. The nagging lure of that persistent groove alone bred addiction which the broader embrace of vocals and sonic enterprise only accentuated, it all coated in a carnival-esque shadows.

Everything about the track is contagion, a virulence soon matched by the infectiousness soaking the following Who do you dance for? and its forceful but catchy dynamics. Against Lo’s just as viral clean throated tones, the song has a dirty edge to its riffs and breath as desert rock and garage rock collude with relish. Keys jab and incite just as masterfully as rhythms and grooves, the swing of it all pure incitement and arousal before Very bad boy brings a touch of restraint to the instinctive energy of the band’s sound. in saying that, there is a serious insistence in gait and touch which manipulates body and spirit and a temptation to vocals which commands participation.

Jump in the fire is another which was under the skin in seconds, the slow drawl of bass and its dark textures an incitement to swinging hips and a controlled but eager bounce, the vocals of Lo again thick tempting in the midst of equally seductive sounds. The drama only grows as the song erupts with fiery endeavour and a chorus which just draws the vocal chords out before next up addiction, The Maker, keeps the album’s grip tight with its swarthy fifties rock ‘n’ roll seeded canter. Southern climes and humid suggestion are all embroiled in its magnetism, the song masterful flirtation in all aspects.

The contagion which infests all tracks is a more feral affair within Hold me tight but with a touch which only accentuates the song’s hopeful but unsure romance while Seventeen compelled deep engagement with its fifties toned bad boy croon. Both tracks had us gripped and thickly involved, music and word as fascinating and persuasive as craft and voice, a blend as thick and potent within their successor, Around my neck. Insistently jabbing at ears from the off, the track soon unveils its funk punchy saunter which in turn expresses a eighties new wave infectiousness which only commands partaking in.

Through the seductively sinister Leave it all behind with a rhythmic shuffle which is undiluted manipulation and temptation and the equally devilish She Devil, it is fair to say that lust for the release only boiled further over, each track an unscrupulous and invigorating source of genius coercion and creative temptation within a just as thick suasion of inventive sounds.

Finally the album comes to an end with How to land, just one more inescapable pull on ears and involvement keeping ears and limbs as busy as the imagination. Everything about the track fascinated and seduced, epitomising the air, pull, and glory of what is easily one of the year’s finest moments so far, if not THE finest for our ears.

Patrón’s self-titled album is out now via Klonosphere; available @ https://patronofficial.bandcamp.com/album/patr-n and https://shop.season-of-mist.com/patron-patron-cd-digipak