When first listening to Fallen Angels of Rock ‘n’ Roll, I had a good feeling Cordovas would deliver another compelling album. The Rose of Aces, which dropped last Friday (August 11), once again features the kind of warm-sounding Americana and roots rock that together with their multi-part harmony singing made me embrace the East Nashville, Tenn. band in 2018 when I saw them during a free outdoor summer concert in New Jersey.
Before getting to some music, I’d like to provide a bit of background on the group. Cordovas were founded in 2011 by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joe Firstman after he had put out a series of solo projects and served as bandleader from 2005 to 2009 on NBC’s former late-night TV show Last Call with Carson Daly. Following their self-released 2011 eponymous debut and various line-up changes, Cordovas signed with ATO Records, entering their next stage.
The group’s August 2018 label debut That Santa Fe Channel, which I reviewed here, was followed by Destiny Hotel in October 2020. The Rose of Aces marks their third release with ATO Records and their fourth studio album overall. In addition to Firstman (vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, Fender Rhodes, piano, synthesizer, Wurlitzer), Cordovas’ second core member is Lucca Soria (acoustic and electric guitar, bass, vocals) who Firstman on their website calls “the one soldier that understands what I’m doing best.”
Otherwise, Cordovas are in a state of constant flow, relying on various co-conspirators gathering in their twin outposts — a farm in Nashville, and a hideout in the artist community of the Baja California town Todos Santos — to jam out ideas. According to this review in Glide Magazine, The Rose of Aces was produced by Cory Hanson, frontman of L.A. rock band Wand. Time to take a closer look at the goodies!
Since I already covered the aforementioned Fallen Angels of Rock ‘n’ Roll in my most recent New Music Musings installment, I’m skipping the standout opener and lead single here and go right to What Is Wrong? Credited to Firstman and Sorie, the tune is a sunburnt twilight sigh of a song, notes the group’s website, originating with some ideas of Soria’s that the band then toyed with, adding some lyrics (“Are you ready?/ If you’re free enough to do it on your own”) that Firstman worked on with his girlfriend. The song well represents the mellow, laid-back feel that is present throughout most of the album.
High Roller, penned by Firstman and country songwriter Mark Cline Bates, tells the story of the narrator and his compatriot Stanley having a chaotic bender at a casino. In an interview with Holler Country, Firstman explained the song is about his spending spree in Las Vegas after Atlantic had signed him as a solo artist early in his career. Check out that mighty sweet pedal steel guitar! High Roller first appeared on July 11 as the album’s second upfront single.
Deep River, co-written by Firstman and Bates as well, is another tune that spoke to me right away. A song that starts with the lines Red tractor and a green pasture/Silver pickup knobs on my blonde Telecaster was bound to get my attention! I can hear a bit of Tom Petty in here. During the above Holler Country interview Firstman acknowledged the tune is about learning and growing from past indiscretions.
On Love Is All It Takes, the speed and intensity pick up, providing a welcome contrast. Solely written by Firstman, this track has a southern rock feel reminiscent of The Allman Brothers Band, one of the influences Cordovas have acknowledged, along with The Grateful Dead and The Band.
The last tune I’d like to call out is the beautiful closer Somos Iguales featuring Marisol Hernandez, aka. La Marisoul, lead vocalist in Los Angeles-based Mexican-American band La Santa Cecilia. Hernandez was also one of the co-writers, together with Firstman, Adrian “Ace” Campos and Jimmy Messner. I like the song’s simple yet powerful message about human equality. BTW, nopales, the pads of the prickly pear cactus, are a staple in Mexican dishes.
If you like what you’ve heard, I’d encourage you to check out the full album. With a total playtime of less than 35 minutes, no daunting time commitment is required. I think including another more rock-oriented tune among the 12 tracks could have added a bit more variety. It’s a minor wrinkle in an otherwise solid album that has a timeless feel.
Sources: Wikipedia; Cordovas website; Glide Magazine; Holler Country; YouTube; Spotify
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