Gina Villalobos

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The fourth studio album from indie folk rocker Gina Villalobos rolls off right away with “Take a Beating to You” and from then on out, Villalobos and her voice go on a journey both swift and slow. With honest and painful lyrics penned mostly by Villalobos herself, the record rises to the top of the alt country/rock genre and may be a breakout hit for this year. There will be comparisons to Lucinda Williams and even Sheryl Crow, but Villalobos deserves to stand on her own merit with this album. Since the debut of Rock 'n Roll Pony, Villalobos has consistently put out records that rock, that roll, and that blend country, rock, and folk into something likable and listenable.

The biography on her website describes her as: “the real thing, an artist, someone who can show you where you are.” It’s a perfectly worded way to describe listening to Days on Their Side. The album keeps up with Villalobos’ other records—with her scratchy voice, a distinct characteristic that slides over the music and unifies the previous albums—but the overall tone here of breakups and bust ups goes on an emotional, but never bitter voyage. Standout tracks include “Falling Away,” which has catchy hooks and is slightly more upbeat than the rest of the songs, as well as the title track “Days on Their Side.” Villalobos also varies the sound; on “Second Chance,” she uses a banjo to bring a different vibe and a different depth to the song.

The first track, “Take a Beating” sets the tone for the rest of the songs, with lyrics like “I wanna take a beating with you/Don’t wanna talk to somebody new.” A common enough emotion for anyone who has gone through heartbreak and is trying to recover, the album is the perfect complement to sitting around with a whiskey and reminiscing over lost love.

Written by: Mónica Teresa Ortiz, October 29th 2009

Miles Away

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 13:06:00 +0000

By Gina Villalobos

Face West Records

I come from the country – from the wide open farms and rolling feed yards of Texas anyway – and I ain’t never heard anything like Gina Villalobos. Released by Face West Records, Villalobos’ third album Miles Away scrawls its own existence into alt-country. Villalobos rough-hews away with a sweet intensity and her heart beats in her voice as she sings, “I got aces on my mind” from the track “Tied to My Side,” recalling country giants Willie Nelson, Patty Griffin and Neil Young. Although Villalobos’ songwriting is hardly elementary, there’s something simple and straightforward about her prose.

Most artists share (or try to share) pain in their lyrics and, instead, hang messy break ups and bad relationships and nights of long tears out like dirty laundry. Not Villalobos, a Los Angeles based singer song writer who goes beyond the tear in my beer angst and comes up with a new take on an old theme. She sings to somebody, not about. And if her lyrics resonate with candid anguish, her voice throbs with hope and nostalgia and compassion while she rolls thunder and strums her guitar from a deep dark hole – particularly on the last track, “Somebody Save Me.” Listening to Villalobos’ album is driving down the quiet stretch of highway between Lubbock and Amarillo in an old Mustang convertible, wind whipping my hair, no place to go and no intention of hurrying to get there, because my buddy Gina is fine company.

Written by: Mónica Teresa Ortiz, March 28th 2007