Vintage Guitar Magazine Review Of Gina Villalobos "Miles Away"
"Miles Away" review for vintage guitar mag june 2007

Gina Villalobos
Miles Away
Face West Records

Gina Villalobos proves that a contemporary music artist of the female persuasion doesn't have to possess an American Idol perfect voice to create powerful music. Remember Kim Carnes or Bonnie Tyler? At times Villalobos' voice reminds me of these two, but with a heaping helping of grit and back roads dirt. On other songs Villalobos' vocals drift into a softer, more wistful, sonority closer to the singer/songwriter Wendy MaHarry. But comparisons aside, Villalobos churns out country-inflected roots rock that will have you reaching for the "up" button on your stereo's volume control.

Miles Away is Villalobos second album. Her first, Rock and Roll Pony, was first released in late 2005. It almost never came out. In 2003 Villalobos had an accident that almost ended her musical career, but she persevered, and on the strength of Rock and Roll Pony toured UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. This second album appeared first in the UK in 2006, and has only recently been released in the US.

The ten original gongs on Miles Away display a remarkable level of
musical and emotional consistency. Although it isn't a concept album, all of Villalobos' songs share an acute awareness of pain and celebrate the strength required to live in the face of that pain. But don't think this album is gloomy; dark, yes, but not depressing. Underneath everything rock and roll's bacchanalian and Rabelaisian essence bubbles to the surface.
From the opening tune, Miles Away demonstrates the rock and roll pedigree of rebellion and self-affirmation.

Co-produced by Villalobos and Erik Colvin, Miles Away features Kevin Haaland on guitars and banjo, Ben Pringle on Wurlitzer and organ, Sean Caffey on pedal steel guitar, Janna Jacoby on violin, Ian Walker on bass, and Anthony Zimmitti on drums. Recorded at the Cole and LaLeyenda studios in Hollywood, CA, the sonics here are rock and roll rude. In every mix the guitars are up front and in your face. This doesn't qualify as easy listening music.
Some Songs are created to soothe the savage beast, but Miles Away ain't gonna be included in that category. It's more about feeding the beast some meat and then kicking it while it's stuffing its face.

Steven Stone
Columnist
Vintage Guitar Magazine

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Album Reviews- Gina Villalobos "Miles Away"

These are bunch of reviews of Gina's new record "Miles Away" that I played guitar and banjo on-

Gina Villalobos - Miles Away

Gina's soulful, slightly hoarse, world-weary vocals sound like the voice of a young woman who has experienced more than her share of misery and pain, so they are absolutely appropriate for her sad songs about difficult situations and troubled times. The phrase "redemption through song" comes to mind, as the best of these songs have big, memorable and uplifting choruses, despite the troubled lyrics.

This collection of songs has been honed on the road, and marks a massive step forward from her debut album. The sound no longer fits into a neat category like country rock or roots; it's just a collection of great pop/rock tunes.

Gina's band is a tight and polished unit. The opener 'Miles Away' hits the ground running with lots of chunky, chiming guitar from Kevin Haaland and Ben Pringle's subtle keyboard work. Pringle's organ is unobtrusive but crucial to the sound. Sean Caffey plays pedal steel, but very much in a rock'n'roll context.

I took this record and a stack of other CDs to keep me company on a long road trip, but such is the strength of these tunes that I found myself playing songs like 'Don't Let Go', 'If I Can't Have You' and 'Somebody Save Me' over and over again. Everything is sung with passion and played with verve.

Gina handles almost all the vocals herself. She double-tracks to good effect on 'Don't Defeat Me' and others, but I kept hearing phantom backing vocals in my head. Many of her songs have good choruses that might greatly benefit from the addition of more prominent backing vocals. Perhaps Gina she could experiment along these lines on her next release. - Shindig Magazine

"Tougher in spirit, Cali singer Gina Villalobos sounds like a distaff Jesse Malin on Miles Away. At her best, comparisons to Lucinda Williams aren't too fanciful, either." - 3 stars - UNCUT (UK)

"The follow-up to Rock'n'Roll Pony features nine originals and a cover of the Bee Gees-penned Yvonne Elliman hit If I Can't Have You. The band, featuring the brilliance of guitarist Kevin Haaland, is tight and sustains the heartbeat even when the songs are on the weak side. Once described as "combining the talents of Lucinda Williams and the Stones, wrestling with Ryan Adams" Gina's voice is darker and more soulful than on Pony." - Scottish Daily Express

"California's new country-rock queen beats the odds. This follow-up to Villalobos's acclaimed 2004 debut Rock'n'Roll Pony was tragically delayed while she recovered from a horrible accident that cost her the vision in her right eye. Fortunately, the Californian's gritty voice and finely tuned songwriting sensibility remain intact on an album that fulfils all her abundant early promise. This time around the songs are deeper, darker and more soulful, full of stories about hard knocks and life's iniquities. Her reflective subject matter is juxtaposed against some effervescent melodies that mix jangling Byrds-like guitars, a strut that owes something to the Stones' Exile On Main Street and the country spirit of Gram and Emmylou. The stand-out track is the aching Somewhere To Lay Down, but there's not a weak link among the nine original compositions, topped off with an irresistible cover of Yvonne Elliman's If I Can't Have You that deserves to be played over and over." - HMV Choice (UK)

Hailed by some critics as the new queen of country-rock following the release of her highly acclaimed 'Rock 'n' Roll Pony' album last year, Gina Villalobos returns with her new long-player 'Miles Away'.

In between the last album and this, Villalobos has toured extensively and also, through a tragic accident, lost the sight in her right eye - so it is no wonder that this record is full of introspection and reveals a darker and more soulful side to her.

Too easily dismissed as a Lucinda Williams clone it seems she has more in common with male counterparts like Ryan Adams and Tom Petty. Not only attracting plaudits from the Americana/alt country fraternity but also from the more pop and rock-centric circles.

She is not the weathered troubadour who's learned her trade in southern whisky-soaked roadhouses but a young singer-songwriter from Los Angeles with a Marlboro-stained, bourbon-flavoured voice that belies her age.

'Miles Away' is awash with fraught, heartbroken lyrics and Villalobos' rich, smoky tones draw you in. It is an album to cry with, an album to fall in love to and an album to keep you company on those dark lonely nights. - (4/5) - Becc Bowen - Northcliffe regional news

"Following her acclaimed Rock n Roll Pony debut, new country rock queen Gina lost the sight of one eye. Written and recorded since that traumatic event, this is a remarkably defiant, positive, yet tender record. Her raw-throated, searing guitar-fuelled songs of the heart have a pinsharp focus, and sex songs dont come any more frank or fearsome than Face On The Sheets." - 4/5 - Daily Mirror (UK)

"There was no doubt that Gina Villalobos' 2004 album, Rock N Roll Pony deserved all the praise it received upon release. There is also no doubt that with this follow-up she will stop receiving all those Lucinda Williams comparisons and start getting credit for what she is ; a truly remarkable talent. Look at it this way, how many of Lucinda Williams devotees can honestly say they were with her all the way, how many actually bought Ramblin in 1978 or Happy Woman Blues in 1980? It wasnt until the late 80's / early 90's that Lucinda found the start of that gravel road which took her music into another direction and gained her a larger audience. But Gina found her way from her very first album and as this second set shows it was no fluke. This girl has talent by the truck-load.

Miles Away is that rare thing; a CD which you want to go on forever, one where it becomes a natural thing to do to hit the replay button as soon as it has finished. So the down side is that the album is only 10 songs long, an all too short 38 minutes. The up side is that those 38 minutes are probably some of the best were going to hear all year. Nine Gina Villalobos originals and one cover. Last time out Gina treated us to her cover of World Partys Put The Message In The Box, but this time she takes the more unlikely Gibb brother penned and Yvonne Elliman hit If I Cant Have You and turns it into the most heartfelt and soulful alt country version of a Bee Gees song we are ever going to hear. Its not until the song has been playing for a while that one realises that it is not a Villalobos original ; thats how much Gina makes the song her own.

But when Gina writes originals of the calibre of Lets Fall Apart she proves that she is more than a match for any songwriter from any generation. That song, like most of Ginas work, is rooted firmly in the alt. country tradition but also mixes in a healthy dose of rock n roll into the proceedings. If there can be such a thing then theres a refined rawness to these songs. Ginas vocals are best described as soulful; she sounds like she is always on the verge of cracking up. She is pouring all she has into these songs and I wonder if in Gina we are finally hearing what Gram Parsons was striving for all those years ago, albeit in a female form.

Gina handles all the vocals on the album except for harmony vocals from Ann McCue (well worth checking out Roll by Ann McCue if you havent already) on Face On The Sheets and surely with her vocal prowess on Miles Away Gina will get more than Bob Harris singing her praises on the radio this time around. This girl has to be heard! There is simply no one who comes close to the passion and soul in her voice at the moment. Sure, there are plenty of female singer-songwriters making plenty of pleasant, even outstanding records but none have that voice. Few are the singers who can sound soulful and world weary at the same time, just listen to Somewhere To Lay Down ; if the ghost of Janis Joplin isnt hovering all over those verses Id be very surprised.

But having a great voice doesnt make a great album; the songs have to be there as well, as do the right musicians. Keeping both Kevin Haaland on guitar and Sean Caffey on pedal steel guitar from her last album and recruiting Ian Walker on bass, Anthony Zimmitti on drums and Ben Pringle on organ has provided Gina with a solid band who sound like they have been playing for years. Add occasional violin from JAnna Jacoby and the sound is perfect.

As for the songs, the writing is so good its hard to believe that this is only Ginas second album. Other artists take years to reach this level. And Gina hasnt been dipping into these songs for years and shaping them into the mini-classics they are; the songs were written between December 2004 and December 2005 while on various tours.

If you liked Ginas last album then Miles Away will not disappoint, but if you are new to her talents then I envy you. Special moments like hearing Gina Villalobos for the first time are few and far between. Recommended without reservation." - Penny Black Music Website (UK)

"Gina Villalobos is the new queen of country rock. How delightful, and quite rightly so, however I wouldnt just limit her to the queen of country rock but as a pioneer for creating music which is truly refreshing and makes you think this lady has something to say. On her second musical offering Miles Away, the follow-up to her debut RocknRoll Pony, Gina displays some fine slices of pop-country-rock pie and I have to say, it goes down rather well. On the opener Miles Away, were introduced straight away to her unique, scratchy voice which doesnt irritate, as one would think, instead it draws you in to her world and keeps you on your toes to the very end. On Hard Enough, the slide guitars complement the heartfelt lyrics which perhaps convey her views of what its like to be a lady in rock and this is particularly poignant when she muses I know Im hard enough, but I feel my heart too much, but I beg myself to find enough in me. Throughout the rest of the album, we have a perfect mixture of pop ditties such as Dont let go and Face on the sheets as well as beautiful ballads Somewhere to lay down, not to mention her Bee Gees cover of If I cant have you which she truly makes her own. All in all Miles Away is a collection of perfectly crafted pop-country-rock songs that will appeal to those who appreciate great melodies and interesting voices." - Crooked Rain Website

Straightforward rock n roll to hide the pain

"Following on from the success of Rock n Roll Pony, Gina Villalobos steps up to the mic again with the straightforward country rock n roll sounding Miles Away. Miles away bears the imprint of the years in between the last album and this one: a nasty accident and a lot of time on the road. This gives a lyrical reflectiveness and depth that belie the stand-up-and-holler sound and delivery, combining to make the album a rich experience, one with multiple layers to it. OK, its not the most innovative album ever, and as such it perhaps represents a step towards a popular, mainstream audience, but the voice could stop the traffic and the songs might just make the traffic wardens dance." - 8 /10 - Americana UK Website

"Debut album Rock n Roll Pony saw Villalobos hailed, rather over-enthusiastically, as the best new voice in country-rock. The follow up goes some way to living up to the claims. The blueprint's much the same with ringing twangy guitars, a raspy Bonnie Tyleresque drawl of a voice and songs that mix up the dust road and the highway, the bedroom and the barroom. The title track and Face On The Sheets fine examples of her ringing Pettyish swagger, Don't Defeat Me and the bluesy, pedal steel infused Somewhere To Lie Down the keening ballad side of things. The songs ripple with lyrics about self-reliance and determination, even when, as on the big ballad Somebody Save Me, she opens herself up to need, giving the album a muscular strength borne out by the playing. As with her debut, she also throws in a cover, this time an unlikely alt-country version of the Bee Gee's penned Yvonne Elliman hit If I Can't Have You that she makes completely her own. No doubt there'll be those who want to call her the new Lucinda Williams, but that would be a disservice because she's very much the now Gina Villalobos." - The Beat

"Sometimes you listen to an album and it's just right, no matter how many times you go back to it there's nothing you can add or subtract.

Gina Villalobos's 2004 album, Rock 'n' Roll Pony fell slap bang into that category but, even more than that, it also became a guarantee for the future, 2006's Miles Away fulfils that guarantee.

If Marilyn Monroe had the face of an angel and a body for sin, then Gina Villalobos has a voice made for country-flecked rock 'n' roll, she slips into the songs on Miles Away as easily as if they were a second skin.

She also reprises what I hope will become an enduring tradition, taking a well-known song and making it all her own. On Rock 'n' Roll Pony it was World Party's Put The Message In The Box, here it is Yvonne Elliman's, Gibb-penned If I Can't Have You, not quite as much of a challenge but like Message she makes it a standout track, which in itself is no mean feat. Her version of the 1976 hit should make its writers eternally grateful.

But it's her own songs that are the delight and strength of the album and on them she exposes herself completely. Listening to Hard Enough is akin to walking alone in the early hours of a rainy morning, alone with your thoughts. Eventually nothing else exists. An alternative title for the album could be 'The Best Get It off Your Chest Album Ever'.

But as you'd expect of an artist who has dealt with the loss of vision in her right eye, there is also an unbreakable will and strength, but the strength of Face The Sheets comes not from adversity but from deep inside.

Listening to an album that offers as much as Miles Away, it would be easy to overlook that it is also damn entertaining rock 'n' roll. If Sheryl Crow had written any, or all, of these songs she would be more than satisfied with her day's work, Gina Villalobos can boogie with the best.

Taken on its own, Miles Away is a superb album, put alongside Rock 'n' Roll Pony it represents a formidable body of work." - Net Rhythms Website (UK)

"Rock N Roll Pony, Villalobos her last CD, got great reviews. In some places she even got crowned as the new Queen of Country Rock. She got compared to the old queen, Lucinda Williams, all the time. This is not so strange. They both make high quality Alt.Country and both sound lonely and a bit lazy but Williams sounds like an old fart and Villalobos like a sexy rock and roll girl. Williams is driving her old Ford on gravel roads, Villalobos drives her bike to the coast of California.

Miles Away was written on the lonely moments while touring. The moments Villalobos didnt know the time and didnt know in which city her hotel was placed. She tries to captures these moment of being weightless in, mostly, mid tempo rock songs. They sound more like Sheryl Crow with twang than a rocking Lucinda Williams. That says something about her style but also about hit potential. A producer who will push her into the polished pop/rock-direction will also push her straight into the charts. I hope they never will because Miles Away is a big and raw emotional statement. Enjoy the pain for miles and miles." - Hanx.net

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Album Review- Gina Villalobos "Miles Away" 2

www.whisperinandhollerin.com
'VILLALOBOS, GINA'
'MILES AWAY'

Label: 'LAUGHING OUTLAW (www.laughingoutlaw.com.au)'

Genre: 'Alt/Country'

Release Date: 'May 2006'

Catalogue No: 'LORCD 094'

Our Rating:

The follow-up album to Gina Villalobos acclaimed Rock N Roll Pony treads similar ground but manages to outstrip even the considerable achievements of that earlier record. Largely due to its larger, warmer and more confident sound and of course the quality of songs - it stands to elevate Ms. Villalobos to even greater prominence in the blossoming world of Alt.Country. If the earlier claims of her being the new queen of country rock were perhaps slightly premature, Miles Away proves beyond doubt that she was indeed a princess-in-waiting and is now very much ready to claim the crown.

The album couldnt possibly introduce itself better, kicking off with two songs each of which perfectly captures a distinct but complimentary aspect of Ginas music. First up we have the tough talkin title track Miles Away, bouncy, countrified rock with all the essential ingredients a blend of jangling and twanging guitars, subdued but perfectly pitched pedal steel, muscular rhythm section and a great, joyful vocal performance it immediately shows just how far she, and her musicians, have come in the relatively short time separating the two albums. In contrast, its followed by the gentle, soulful Hard Enough, showcasing what is fast becoming a recognised GV signature, aching vulnerability and defiant determination nestling cheek to cheek (I know Im hard enough / But feel my heart too much / And I beg myself to find enough in me).

The rest of the album comes tumbling along splendidly with barely a hitch (Somewhere To Lay Down, despite great lyrics Leave me alone / Leave a bag for my bones / For now Ill hang off your walls and a musical backing that swings slowly to a grumbling bass-line, pops of mellow organ and lonesome pedal steel, is perhaps vocally just a little dry?) Face On The Sheets is another great rocker driven along by Kevin Haalands excellent guitar work. Lets Fall Apart introduces us to a somewhat sweeter Gina, her vocals, particularly through the verses, losing their usual rough n tough edge to result in one of the albums vocal highpoints.

The beautiful melody of Tied To My Side after a stripped, acoustic opening, swells on the second verse with JAnna Jacobys subtle violin magically suggesting a whole string section lurking beneath the guitars and drums while once again, Haalands lead guitar grabs the central section of the song. Excellent!

Surprise entry is the Gibb brothers (Bee Gees) pop classic If I Cant Have You which is given a welcome country-ish twist that converts it into an aching lament that, in terms of performance and style, is expertly and effortlessly made to sound like nothing less than a Gina original. Oh yeah, and yet another ace guitar solo!

The musical support throughout is actually faultless, exhibiting total empathy with the songs and Ginas voice, so its well worth mentioning, by way of a hearty slap on the back, her band, Haaland, Jacoby, Ben Pringle (organ, Wurlitzer), Sean Caffey (pedal steel), Ian Walker (bass) and Anthony Zimmitti (drums).Lucinda Williams comparisons will, Im afraid, still be inevitable but Gina is altogether tougher and rougher absolutely fine by me - and when she chooses to she can just as easily melt any old hardened heart.

From the evidence here its merely the shortest of steps before reviewers will start referring to Gina Villalobos as the yardstick against which all the new up and coming country gals with guitars will be measured.

author: Christopher Stevens

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