Lantana - Unbridled 
By: George Peden, CSO Staff Journalist

They take their name from a Lonestar State flower. That flower, colorful, attractive, one which grows to its potential when exposed fully to the elements, is Lantana. Like their flowering namesake, this band comes set to bloom. With their debut, Biz Haddock, Karol Ann DeLong and Dalene Richelle have industry interest growing for the ladies who claim their toughest trait is friendship.

“We laugh. We cry. We pull each other along,” tells Haddock. “We were three strangers who are now three friends; we’ve become kindred spirits.”

That shared spirit works well across their BGM Records release, Unbridled. For the trio who collectively offer the eye-pulling similarity of models on a cat walk, the 13 tunes, which includes the radio favorite “Country As A City Girl Can Be”, is a classy effort of finger-tappers, soft shuffles, tunes with a thoughtful prod, and some good ol’ cut loose revelry.

With a diverse range of interests -- the ladies include sculpting, song writing, painting, exercise and family and friends among their priorities – their music, also, enjoys variation, drawn from musical heroes like Tanya Tucker and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Another bonus on the album is a surprise. The ladies share lead vocals. It’s further proof of Lantana’s diversity.

While “Country As City Girl Can Be” and the banjo-plucked vibe of the band written tune "The Juice Ain't Worth a Squeeze" will have the crowds dance floor headed, there are some other standout cuts that’ll claim interest, too.

“Ride ‘Em Cowboy” and “I Ain’t Your Jailer” offer slower reflections. But it’s on the thought-hitting reality of “Give” that listener introspection and the band’s ability to sell the content meld. Perfectly. The song, rocky and spirited, is a ready made evangelist’s banner: don’t look to what you can take, rather, what you can put back. It’s a tune that calls into question the vagaries of what we know but never practice.

“Savin’ It Up For Saturday Night” explodes with predictable force, given the title. ‘No Trespassin’, with the opening giggle of “Well, I went looking for you at some honky tonk bar, caught you with your hand in someone else’s cookie jar” leads into a shuffle that tells life is better when you get to experience “Everything”. “You Know How It Is” is a rollicking band call, with the girls letting loose in rowdy chorus, while “Let Somebody Love You” is an inviting truth, handled with crafted soft-soaking that ensures the message doesn’t fade.

Lantana lives up to their claimed namesake. They’re vibrant, attractive, and with enough charm and interest to warrant a second, no, a third look. The album is a pleasing blend of ballads, thigh-slappers and good rockin’ country. It’s sure to blossom when planted on release date September 5. 

Audio Interview

Click on the CD cover to order yours!
1: Country As A City Girl Can Be  2: Ride ‘Em Cowboy 3: I Ain’t Your Jailer 4: The Juice Ain’t Worth The Squeeze 5: No Trespassin’ 6: Everything 7: You Know How It Is	8: Let Somebody Love You 9: Give 10: Roll With The Changes 11: Savin’ It Up For Saturday Night 12: What Turns Me On 13: Feel Like Rockin’

Related Links:
Official Site  
MySpace