The Lost Weekend Band: "One Hell Of A Time" (2024) CD Review

When punk meets outlaw country, you know the energy and attitude are going to be strong. And such is the case with The Lost Weekend Band and its 2024 EP One Hell Of A Time. David Fisher, the band's lead singer, goes by the name Hardcore Dave, and was part of the punk scene before switching to country and moving to Los Angeles. Certainly, that earlier scene is still a part of him, and he's taken what he learned there and applied what seemed right from it to his newer musical interests and endeavors. The Lost Weekend Band also features Parker Richey on guitar and pedal steel, Eliot Lorango on bass, Joey Ponchetti on drums and percussion, and Carl Byron (how many bands is he in?) on piano and accordion, with Jason Moore providing some backing vocal work. The EP features original material, and it was produced and mixed by Paul Fig. 

The EP opens with "Pay The Rent," which begins with some good stuff on guitar and a great scream of "Yeah," a perfect way to set things in motion. The energy is similar to that of, say, Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band. "Show this world what I got inside/Well, there's something I can't explain/Ain't never getting off this train." This is fantastic, especially in these days when paying the bills is a struggle. No matter how bad the financial situation gets, we still need to go out and enjoy ourselves. Otherwise, what's the point? And this music is here to help us have a good time. "Won't you trust me when I say/We want to see your better days/Light and love/Dance in the sunshine." There is a sense of excitement to this music, with some excellent stuff on guitar. And this wild, boisterous country number ends with the advice, "Lead with love." How about that? That's followed by "Sunlight," with Hardcore Dave delivering some delicious work on harmonica at the beginning to help set the tone. And when he sings, "I swear last night I met the girl of my dreams," it turns out she was just that, which is a nice twist. He sings, "I woke up, there was no such girl in my reality." This song soon takes us to a bar where a band is playing (perhaps this band), so everything is okay. "When I'm in a bar room, I like to sing it out loud." This track has a powerful ending.

"Sing With Me" begins in a mellower place, with some nice work on guitar. And, yes, there is a different vocal approach to this one, and a certain beauty to the performance. There is also a good bass line. And I love how the work on keys creates the song's atmosphere. "You can walk away/In my heart you'll stay/There's one more song." And he requests, "Won't you sing with me/When you're lonely." It's interesting, because that is something we do when we're lonely, isn't it? Sing along with some of our favorite tracks, songs that touch us, that offer comfort and companionship. Then "Madison County" opens with a bright burst of energy. This one takes us to a bar, with Hardcore Dave singing in the first line, "Madison County found me loaded alone at Lucky's Bar." It's great to find someone who is going through the same things, someone to connect to straight away. "I was suffering a broken heart/She had one too/She looked at my arms, saw my scars/Said there's nothing wrong with you." And when Hardcore Dave belts out lines in the second half, we are all in some sort of unexpected heaven. "I choose to live my life with Madison County." So good! And check out that guitar work. The EP concludes with "In The Morning," which features some wonderful work on harmonica right at the start. Here Hardcore Dave offers a touching vocal performance. "I'll tell you all about it/I'll tell you all about it/I'll tell you all about it/In the morning." This is a pretty and moving song, and in the second half it begins to grow, to swell, featuring some wonderful percussion. "How we sang and we danced into the night." What a fantastic way to wrap up this disc, including some lovely backing vocal work.

CD Track List

1. Pay The Rent
2. Sunlight
3. Sing With Me
4. Madison County
5. In The Morning

One Hell Of A Time was released on June 14, 2024.