Hacienda
Loud Is the Night (Alive)
Reviewed by Doug Freeman, Fri., Oct. 31, 2008
Hacienda
Loud Is the Night (Alive)Plucked from Texas by the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, who helmed production for the San Antonio quartet's debut LP, Hacienda basks willfully in the glow of the 1960s. The gritty pop surge of opener "She's Got a Hold on Me" bursts with retro flavor before dropping into swaying ballad "Angela." While the tight harmonies of the Villanueva brothers and cousin Dante Schwebel bridge the Beach Boys with the British Invasion, melting throughout "Another Day" and beaming on "Sun," and are further accentuated by contributions from members of the like-minded Dr. Dog, Hacienda finds its best sound in the looser, more playful moments, such as Sonny Bono cover "Baby Don't Go" and the subdued swirl of "Shake Ya." Across 14 tracks, the album's eclectic reach at times dilutes its impact, and the group often defers too heavily to the influential orbit of Auerbach and Dr. Dog. The sharp time changes of "Little Girl" and odd country fiddle bent of closer "Wishbone" fit uncomfortably on Loud Is the Night, but the soulful foundation of songs such as "Hear Me Crying" and "Leave It This Way" spike this incessantly infectious mix.
