Ramblin' René & The Stetson Five - II (CD)

"There are good reasons to like this group, one of which is the intoxicating diversity of their music." (Country Jukebox, November 15, 2016) "The Gladbeck country band Ramblin' René & The Stetson Five picks only that out of the cliché suitcase Best out." (coolibri, December 2016) "For me, with this combo, Gladbeck [is] now officially the Nashville of the Ruhr area." (Crazy United, November 2nd, 2016)
This is how the press judged the debut album of the same name by Ramblin' René & The Stetson Five from 2016. Four years later, Yellow Snake Records/timezone is releasing it. The quartet's second long-player features thirteen brand-new tracks written by Ruhrpott-Köter author René Schiering.
In the partially autobiographical hit German Guy in Dixie, we follow a German musician to the southern states, where he desperately searches for inspiration for his own sound in the realms of the blues. The snappy I Stumble in My Boots proves that you don't take yourself too seriously. Here the hero strives for the nonchalance that is innate to US musicians, but comes to the conclusion: "I suck at being cool..."
This time, the formation from the northern Ruhr area not only wanders the well-developed paths of country, but also dares to explore less explored outskirts of American music. Please, Mr. Sandman is reminiscent of Motown, while Blood-Stained Letter and If I Had Your Love are clearly inspired by 60s girl groups. Pedestal could also have been recorded by Neil Young & Crazy Horse and Requiem sounds almost classical.
With the arrangements, the Stetson Five shifts up a gear thanks to their guest musicians with sophisticated wind and string sections. Nevertheless, genre-typical elements like lapsteel or banjo are not neglected. For the first time, the woman on the violin (Katrin Schiering) takes over the lead vocals in two songs.

01 13 weeks
02 German Guy in Dixie
03 Please, Mr Sandman
04 I Stumble in My Boots
05 Headless Chicken Run
06 Farewell Blues
07 speedball blues
08 Are You Free?
09 Blood-Stained Letter
10 Hospital Blues
11 Pedestal
12 If I Had Your Love
13 Requiem