Gina Villalobos’ Miles Away
Slide guitars, consistent drum beats, raw emotions. These three elements encompass Miles Away, Gina Villalobos’ newest release. Gina has a knack for extracting her listener’s emotions with her lyrics in each one of the 10 tracks. Excellently recorded, Miles Away executes flawless performances from her personnel: Kevin Haaland (slide guitar), Ted Russell Kamp (bass), J’Anna Jacoby (violin), Ben Pringle (organ), and Joshua Grange (pedal steel). Villalobos’ vocal style is reminiscent of Kim Carnes, with a vocal and songwriting familiarity of that of Melissa Etheridge.
Miles Away is soulful country rock defined by the slide guitar, the light “twang” in Villalobos’ voice, and the strumming of acoustic guitar. However, some pop elements do stand out, evidenced by the catchy hooks and clever refrains. Gina does a unique version of Barry Gibb’s “If I Can’t Have You,” giving it a more country feel—very different from that of its original disco version sung by Yvonne Elliman.
The title track, “Miles Away,” is the perfect opening. The upbeat tune elicits optimism with its rock beat and major, predictable chord progressions, typically found in the genre. However, certain lyrics, like “One more time I’m falling off the sidelines,” “Buries me live,” or “I can’t hurt anymore,” indicate a true contrast from its happy delivery. Gina’s clever metaphors, like “heart on a kickstand,” create a masterpiece of hurt, vulnerability, and reflection. Other tracks, like “Somewhere to Lay down” and “Let’s Fall Apart,” deliver an openness and a clear yearning by this introspective songwriter.
Miles Away covers a wide range of emotions with melodies and arrangements that are simple but not sophomoric, an indicative quality of country rock. If it’s too complicated, we miss the meaning. This is where the complexity of the album shines through. It is clean, has effortless lyrics, as well as straight-ahead, no-nonsense music, coupled with loads of reflection, unconventional veracity, and tantamount talent, unrivaled by notable country rock artists. Once again, Gina Villalobos has proven she can hold her own!
To learn more about Gina Villalobos visit her website atwww.ginavillalobos.com.
CD reviewed by Kaylene Peoples
