Cool cat Bones Owens does gritty and laidback in equal measure.

Release Date: 12th July 2024

Label: Black Ranch Records / Thirty Tigers

Format: digital / CD / LP

“I should have left you where I found you, I should have had some better sense.” How often have you had that thought and how often has such a thought been an inspiration for the blues? It’s the opening line of the title track that opens Love Out Of Lemons taking on the ‘when life gives you lemons make some lemonade’ philosophy. One where the notion is, of course, that you can’t squeeze love out of lemons.

Recorded at The Smoakstack in Nashville, general cool cat Bones Owens dives into topics about love, self-
preservation, and new beginnings. All instruments are handled, Prince style, by Owens and producer Moak with drums throughout were played by Julian Dorio (The Whigs, Eagles Of Death Metal). The 11 tracks feature co-writes with Henry Brill (Phantogram, Jack Garratt) on Born Again and Austin Jenkins (Leon Bridges, White Denim) on Higher Than I Wanna Be. The former is a dense and fuzzy detuned rawk opus with honking solo, the latter a cool and easy paced diversion within the Owens approach that shifts twixt the multi-layered and the stripped back.

Swinging with soul, the raw guitar and a sleazy vocal delivery underpins Devil Gonna Getcha, yet the switch the a more uptempo and heavier riff driven style emerges in Get It On. No frills aside from a hint of texture and colour deep in the mix; this is exciting, blues based Rock and Roll.

That chameleon-like approach sees Summer Sun hit a most seductive Arcade Fire-esque vein; the stark drum beat and slices of guitar slowly embellished by earcandied textures and proves a wise choice as a gateway track to the album. Sinking Like A Stone is almost psychedelic Floyd at their best in the opening passage before easing smoothly into a lazy mood and equally loose solo, paving the way for some fuzzed up guitar in Born Again and the squealing signature riff in Going’ Back Where I Came From. The latter bucks and rears like a untamed mule, the guitar switching from scrubbing out a dense and dirty hook to a howling moan.

Chilling out on the album closing pairing of Higher Than I Wanna Be and You Some More takes us some way from the explosive blues encountered just minutes ago. It provides Love Out Of Lemons with a unanticipated curtain closer and further evidence that thirty five minutes is more than enough time to conjure up a set that’s both gritty and cool in equal measure.

Here’s Summer Skin:

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