Embracing their influences

Self-reflection is an important quality for anybody making music these days. So much music has come before today that it is impossible not to be influenced by at least one band. In fact it would be downright disingenuous to not give credit to those who came before whose music has been pumping into the new band’s collective brains for years. Some might call it copying; others might simply call it building on what’s been done before. Los Colognes are a band that has achieved this level of self-reflection and is making it work for them down in Nashville. With their second album Dos, they show just how present those influences are in their thinking with pride and reverence.

Los Colognes recorded Dos at Nashville’s Bombshelter studios during the summer of 2014 after some heavy touring with 28-year old Nashville singer-songwriter Caitlin Rose as her backing and supporting band. As they’ve set to work making a name for themselves on the current Nashville music scene, they have firmly shaken the hands of those who came before, in a musical sense. One recently passed Nashville stalwart whose presence and influence is felt all over the album is JJ Cale, whose Tulsa sound they embrace in songs like “Golden Dragon Hut” and the album opener “Baby, You Can’t Have Both.” They’ve taken his smooth grooves and guitar tone and used it to package thoughtful lyrics about working in the service industry and asking a lover to make a choice.

But Cale is not the only influence they overtly embrace on this record. Dire Straits, another disciple of JJ Cale, is all over the album as is The Grateful Dead from their Go To Heaven period circa 1979 to 1982. “Golden Dragon Hut” also contains unmistakable hints of the Dire Straits tune “Sultans of Swing,” and Jerry Garcia’s guitar tone can be heard clear as could be on songs like the slow and somewhat psychedelic closer “They Got It On” and “Cherry,” which has hints of the Dead rocker “Alabama Getaway” while at the same time being enhanced by Los Colognes’ unique two keyboard approach.

Given these influences, particularly the Dead influence, it’s not surprising that they are billed as a jam band, but one that’s well aware of the criticisms of jam bands that have come before. “So many jam bands I encountered in high school were just stoner rock, but there weren’t any songs there and the lyrics were garbage,” states guitarist and vocalist Jay Rutherford on the band’s website. When talking of the Los Colognes sound he says, “It is just having fun and not necessarily jamming for the sake of jamming.” Some songs on the record definitely show the potential for live jamming, but other songs simply show that they want people to dance and have a good time for the three to four minutes the song runs. Dos is a good album to listen to, but live performances will surely be a different experience. It will be interesting to see how their sound develops both live and on record as they continue to absorb the trifecta of influences found here.