Rockin’ Bonnie Western Bound Combo – Gentle Flower
El Toro Records ET 15 187
We Love To Live – Gentle Flower / Four Solid Poisons – The Devil In Me
Sabrina Cocciolo (Rockin’ Bonnie) is back, still nacked by the ever excellent Western Bound Combo, namely Max Zampini on lead guitar, Matteo Ringressi (who also plays in the excellent Truffle Valley Boys) on mandolin, steel and fiddle, Roberto Marmieri on upright bass and Manuel Peretti on drums.
The EP kicks off with a cover of Wayne Raney’s We Love To Live. Their version sounds a little less Rockabilly than the original, and leans more toward the Maddox Brothers and Rose, thanks to Ringressi’s mandolin and Bonnie’s joyful and powerful vocals.
Gentle Flower is an original penned by Sabrina is a superb country ballad with solid shuffle, twangy guitar, and atmospheric steel. Two minutes and seventeen seconds are way too short for such beauty.
The mood changes with Four Solid Poisons penned and sung by Zampini. It’s a uptempo hillbilly ditty with superb guitar picking that would easily find its place in the Dave and Deke Combo repertoire.
With such an angel voice, it’s hard to believe Sabrina when she singsBilly Strange’s The Devil In Me, but she gives it all and the band is hotter than hell, so I guess she may be right.
If you’re looking for a swinging Hillbilly combo, look no further, with hot musicianship and strong vocals this is as good as it gets.
Buy it here.
Rockin’ Bonnie Western Bound Combo – Keepin’ The Reins Slack
Bullseye – BE 149 [2021]
A Full Time Job – I Gotta Know – I’ll Get Along Somehow – Get With it – Hell Ride Boogie – I’m Getting Wrong – South / Loss – Sure Fire Kisses – Somebody’s Gonna Take Your Place – Serenade In G – Let’s Settle Down – The Side Of Town
Friends, if you dig Hillbilly, Honky-Tonk, Country-Boogie and Western swing, stop all your activities; I have something special for you: Rockin’ Bonnie Western Bound Combo’s latest album. This five-piece band is one of the best things to happen to true country lovers in ages. They come from Italy, but they nailed that sound so perfectly that you wouldn’t believe it.
Rockin’ Bonnie sings lead on most of the tracks. The main quality of her voice is something that, surprisingly, you don’t often find: simplicity. She doesn’t try to sound mean or hide behind mannerisms. She simply sings with her heart in a joyful way. How refreshing!
Max sings lead on Bob Wills’ Get With It and Loss, a self-penned track written with George Jones’ The Race Is On in mind. He also shares some duets with Bonnie and most of all, plays a mighty hot guitar and trades licks with Matt, the band’s secret weapon, who plays fiddle, steel, banjo and mandolin. Bobby and Manuel bring the swing and the drive.
The set comprises covers (Eddie Arnold, Bob Wills, Ernest Tubb, Merle Travis, Goldie Hill…) and originals.
Now, roll back the rug and dance to the sweet sound of Rockin’ Bonnie Western Bound Combo!
Available here.
Rockin’ Bonnie Western Bound Combo – Loud and Proud
El Toro [2016]
Loud and Proud – There AIn’t Better Time – Once More – Don’t Worry
This excellent ep opens with the band’s own Loud and Proud. It’s a solid western swing tune with duet vocals between Bonnie and lead guitarist Max Zampini in the great Bob Wills tradition with steel, fiddle, lead guitar. Next Is a cover of Tibby Edwards sung by Zampini and features – like the other two songs of B-side – a piano.
Once More is another original that already sounds like a classic hillbilly. Last but not least is a superb slice of hillbilly boogie with Red Sovine’s Don’t Worry
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
