Patrick Hallahan is the rhythmic backbone (and often-overlooked secret weapon) of Louisville’s favorite band, My Morning Jacket. This week, as the Jacket is holed up in New England somewhere writing and recording a new album – Hallahan just released the lead single from his new side-project/indie-supergroup Spanish Gold. Besides Hallahan, Spanish Gold also features ex-Grupa Fantasma guitarist Adrian Quesada, and guitarist/vocalist Dante Schwebel of Hacienda.
The lead single “Out on the Street” has a mid-tempo and a heavy sway, sprinkled with a touch of new wave pixie dust. At times the funky rhythm almost feels ironic, like a classic prog-rock band cutting a disco record. Hallahan has a niche for tight precision accentuated by his ability to simultaneously improvise a loose groove. It’s a strange paradox that has only enhanced My Morning Jacket’s live shows since he joined in 2003, and Hallahan puts that amorphic sense of tempo on full display all the way through “Out on the Street”, as well.
If the loose fun of “Out on the Street” is even a glimpse of things to come with the release of Spanish Gold’s debut full length LP, South of Nowhere, out May 27th (Del Mar Records/BMG Records), then I am definitely ready to follow these guys to whatever pot gold they would like to lead to me to.
You can hear "Out on the Street" at the band's Soundcloud page, here.
