A Little More Time with Reigning Sound

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Reigning Sound formed in Memphis in 2001 before frontman Greg Cartwright moved his life, and the band, to Asheville, North Carolina, a few years later. For their seventh album—and the first since 2014—the original lineup regrouped in Memphis to bring it all home: A Little More Time With Reigning Sound pays tribute to both the band's history and the city's storied rock 'n' roll and soul scenes. Bolting right out of the gate with the fantastic "Let's Do It Again," Reigning Sound shows they're still in the rug-cutting business, with a Big Star-style guitar chug and a Hammond sizzle worthy of Booker T. Jones. "Ba-da-da-oom-cha!" Cartwright hollers like a clarion call to the dance floor; it also feels like a promise of fun from a band known for their wild live shows. The organ takes more of a sweet Otis Redding turn on the tambourine-powered "A Little More Time." One of the band's longtime live favorites, a cover of "I Don't Need That Kind of Lovin'" by lost British Invasion-era heartthrob Adam Faith, is a knockout here: handclaps, strutting drums and hellfire-hot guitar that nods at Carl Perkins with a rockabilly-meets-surfer glissando. "Just Say When," a duet between Cartwright and Coco Hames (The Ettes) that ticks through the verses like a nervous clock, turns into something absolutely ebullient at the chorus. "Make It Up" comes on like jangling garage pop, but Cartwright uses an R&B belter's delivery to charmingly bend his vowels: "It's the least that I can doh-oo," "I've owe-pened my eyes ... my face is so rey-ed!" He can also serve up a casually devastating turn of phrase, like "I did a jigsaw puzzle for two/ All by myself/ So it's still not through" on "Let's Do It Again," or "You could fill a glass with everything they know" on "A Good Life"—a countrified track that looks back and West to wink at the Byrds (same goes for "Moving and Shaking," with John Whittemore and his pedal steel stealing the show). It all closes out with "On and On," a romantic number of absolute hope ("Love is still a choice!" Cartwright cries) that hits you in the heart twice with the swooniest of instruments—pedal steel and organ—before layering on Jordanaires-style backing vocals. There may be plenty of retro touches here, but it's also a record that feels like we need it right now. © Shelly Ridenour/Qobuz