Las Vegas-based honky tonks, The Rhyolite Sound, are proud to release their new album, Mojave Gold. The album was self-produced by bandmates Larry Reha (guitar, vocals) , Erik Alesi (acoustic guitar, vocals), AJ Palluck (drums), James Caselton (lead guitar) and Jason Aragon (bass), alongside Ronald Corso (11th Street Records, Las Vegas).
Mojave Gold is the second album from Whiskey Preachin Records and is also the second album from our favourite desert honky tonkers, The Rhyolite Sound. Formed in 2013, the five-piece band blend their love of hard honky tonk, outlaw country and southern rock and roll to deliver a driving set of tunes that demands repeat listening and frequent rewinds. Whiskey-soaked and hard-twanging, weaving memorable melodies among the madness and mayhem, The Rhyolite Sound are purveyors of pure honky tonk in an impure world. Packed full of toe- tapping, two-stepping weepers and hell raising, barn burning stompers, Mojave Gold is what we’ve been panning for.
“We’ve really based our entire identity around the fact that our home base is the Mojave desert,” says guitarist and vocalist Larry Reha. “Rhyolite, the ghost town, was at one time the largest gold strike in Nevada. We’ve really put a lot of heart into this album and we’re hoping that, in some way, we strike gold, too. Our sound is unique and blends so many different styles and sounds, we feel like this record will be an unexpected treasure, not only local fans, but country music and honky-tonk fans everywhere.”
Mojave Gold is the follow-up to The Rhyolite Sound’s 2017 debut album, Desert Honky Tonk. Since releasing their own music, the group has amassed several accolades including being voted the Best Vegas Band in 2018 and 2019 by Las Vegas Weekly. The group was also nominated for Metropolitan Honky Tonk Artist of the Year in 2018 and Ameripolitan Outlaw Country Artist of the Year Nominee in 2019.
Here’s what Saving Country Music had to say about Mojave Gold:
“You may worry an act like this takes themselves too seriously, which is a symptom of some modern Outlaw country bands, but they can play a cover song like Mickey Newbury’s “Why You Been Gone So Long,” and leave the machismo behind to do the song justice. And what really surprises you as the album goes along is how funky some of the songs get. All the tones and textures on Mojave Gold are spot on, including the swanky guitar and keys parts, and the final song “I Think Too Much When I Drink Too Much” catches the band stretching their legs and showcasing their musicianship, which is great throughout the record”.
We think you’ll agree, we certainly do.