Don't Fade Clubhouse Records ***

Such is the plethora of genres and subgenres that to describe something as "country rock" could get you accused of being reductive. But The Redlands Palomino Company are retro and proud of it. There is a long line of strong country-rock bands in these islands, from Plainsong in times of yore, bands that tried to make their music more than a pastiche of stateside sounds, and added some sense of localisation. You can add the Palominos to that list. Hannah Elton-Wall, who writes most of the songs and shares the vocal duties with husband and producer Alex Elton-Wall, has the classic twang of regret in her voice, her lyrics and her familiar melodies, and her band know the right moves even if they sometimes sound a tad sluggish. Though the steel guitar haunts each song, the Palominos' music sounds more British than Bakersfield. There are a couple of fillers, but the strength of songs such as Brass Bed, 1879and the title track make up for weaker fare such as One AM. See redlands.moonfruit.com

Download tracks: Don't Fade, Brass Bed