The Gourds
Heavy Ornamentals
(Eleven Thirty/Redeye)
Some may see The Gourds as a novelty due their genius old-time cover of Snoop’s “Gin and Juice.” However, beneath the hillbilly facade created by Kevin Russell and crew is some serious shit. On their eighth record, Heavy Ornamentals, they mix up their sweet brew of country, Tex-Mex and rock ‘n’ roll into something that will twist the senses. As with the ’04 opus Blood of the Ram, they prove to the world they are the inheritors of Texas alt-country god Doug Sahm and his legendary Sir Douglas Quintet. This time around the disc isn’t an end-to-end jaw-dropper. But the album packs in the goods and has a selection of astonishing songs that will fascinate the band’s cult following and newcomers.
—Trevor MacLaren
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.