Album Opinion: Mando Saenz’s “Bucket”

 This Bucket Carries a Ton of Great Tunes!

I have babbled a bit recently about Mando Saenz, the folky rocker who has just released the fantastic Bucket on Carnival Records.  I offer this CD as proof to all of the ignorant “Nashville-Bashers” ( Definition of Nashville Bashers: people who think that if an album it sucks then the album must’ve come from Music City.), that a Texas guy can leave his home state, find some stellar partners like Kim Richey and Will Kimbrough and put forth an effort that is as distinctive as it is a step forward for the artist.  His initial, more folk oriented CD, Watertown showcased the same outstanding writing, but with a more sensitive, folksy vibe.  The uptempo, rock vibe wasn’t an accident.  I recently chatted with Mr. Saenz and he explained to me that he progressed in that direction by regularly playing with his band and looking for songs that sounded great in a live setting.  The first ingredient to any disc that wants to break free from the very crowded pack of today’s current roots-rock releases is for the artist to posses a singular, unforgettable voice.  Saenz displays such a breakthrough voice, especially when he reaches his higher register in many of the albums more wistful tunes, such as “Pittsburgh” or “Wrong Guy”.  His motivation to rock a little louder is evident in the tunes “Seven Dollars” (my personal fave) and “Pocket of Red,” which is the cut that he co-wrote with Kim Richey.  Both of these tracks start in the way that many of Dwight Yoakam’s more rockin’ tunes do, with a single, dominant note that ties the entire song together while Saenz waxes nostalgic about nights at the bar with only a couple of bucks (Seven Dollars).  many CD’s come out and only contain either the pseudo southern-rockers or the thoughtful, meandering ballads, Bucket exceeds the quota by registering some satisfying mid-tempo numbers that blend the aforementioned wistfulness of the softer tunes with the urgency and power of the lead single “Pocket of Red”.  “Come Out Tonight” and “Candy Red” not only elicit a mood of hope, but of longing, which often times can be one and the same.

This disc is a fine example of an artist directing his art in a new direction.  Many artists do so at the expense of leaving his or her audience behind in hopes of gaining a larger number of fans.  Thanks to Saenz’ ability to blend rock, folk and soul, he expanded on his sound without abandoning it. With “Bucket,” Mando Saenz should add a couple of extra seats onto his increasingly-more crowded bandwagon.