The Horton Brothers

Tempo for Two (Texas Jamboree)

The Horton Brothers are stuck in the late 1950s. Everything about their third album Tempo for Two – the sound, the sibling harmonies, the songs – is a throwback to a time that may not have ever really existed. Yet it’s presented with so much frolicking devotion that it’s impossible to resist. That’s quite a feat for a local duo that deals exclusively with hillbilly and rockabilly, styles close to being well past done. Billy and Bobby Horton mix effervescent originals like the Buddy Holly-styled hip shaker “Hey Little Momma” and Latin-tinged “I Ain’t Got Time for Love” with covers from the Crickets (“More Than I Can Say”), Ellie Greenwich (“She Tells Me With Her Eyes”), and Johnny (no relation) Horton (“Shadows of the Old Bayou”) into a set that sounds vintage, but hardly ever dated. Guitarist Dave Biller and pianist T Jarrod Bonta are worth a mention for adding their special, sympathetic talents to the Horton Brothers’ brand of twangy bop. While not for everyone, Tempo for Two is sure to be a favorite for those with a taste for something new in old-time rock & roll.

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This article appears in November 11 • 2005.

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