The Hideaways

Although the four individual members of The Hideaways have been performing for years with such artists as Lucinda Williams, Rosie Flores and The Beat Farmers, Whiskey Tango Sessions is the debut album for them as The Hideaways, who hail from San Diego, CA. Band members include Phillip Bensimon (vocals, bass), Rian Greene (vocals, guitar), Keith Haman (vocals, guitar), and Clint Osborn (drums). Guest musicians add baritone guitar, piano, organ accordion and pedal steel. Three of the four members share songwriting duties as well as lead vocals, giving the disc a nice bit of variety. The music itself is a mix of rock and country with a bit of twang thrown in. Many of the tunes are also flavored with nice harmony vocals.

The CD opens with my favorite track on the album, “Don’t Try and Love Me,” a nice uptempo tune about a guy warning his lover to avoid him for her own good. “Stranger’s Heart” follows and has more of a country feel to it and laments the singers’ love for a stranger’s heart. Some subtle pedal steel adds a touch of twang to the tune. The twang really gets turned up on the tune “El Centro County Line” featuring a guy driving his El Camino on “a lonely border-town highway” with his dog sittin’ shotgun by his side. Though the area is full of “wetbacks, rattlesnakes and coyotes,” and even though “there ain’t much here but us lonely ranchers and our John Deere’s,” it’s still home and he gazes to the south and dreams of “the pretty senoritas; someday I’ll make one my wife, and bring her home to this lonely border town on the El Centro County Line.” The tune would be a great one for a movie soundtrack.

Other highlights of the CD are “Long Dark Road,” a bit more of a rock tune. Also, the closer, “Cavalry,” a beautiful acoustic ballad sung to the singers’ lover, who is upset and sad; but, like many of us guys, he doesn’t know why.

The tears in your eye say you’re hurtin’ honey...don’t know the reason, tell me why
Is it somethin’ I did that brings you down, makes you cry?
Maybe ‘cuz you’re a woman, I’m a man, I’ll never understand
and I know deep inside you’re feelin� pain, and foolish pride
but it’s OK darlin’, the cavalry’s on its way....

The Whiskey Tango Sessions brings to us a very talented band that is able to cover the Americana genre from end to end. Three songwriters, three voices and talented musicianship come together to give a first class recording. The band’s live shows are rumored to be great as well. I can’t wait for the next release!

Don Zelazny is a music lover who plays dentist by day.  He ‘listens’ with his two young children, and wife Michelle in Michigan.