Released on 22/11/10.
Louie and the Lovers from Salinas, California put out this one record, discovered and produced by the legendary Doug Sahm during his exile from Texas; it barely sold. But Rise was such a strong album, a startling blend of the San Francisco sound, Chicano music, and Tex-Mex country rock, it became an easy target for collectors.
For a bunch of teenagers recording their first album in one 18- hour session, Rise is a surprisingly solid set of tunes, with a sound as fresh as any of their west coast contemporaries, consistently fine song craft (9 of 11 tracks penned by Louie Ortega), and fantastic vocal performances throughout. You can hear the Lovers innocent enthusiasm chiming through electric rhythm guitars and the band ‘s raw energy is infectious. Rise starts with a bang, the eponymous lead-off track taking off with guitar hook assaults and soaring vocal harmonies. The album ‘s slower numbers are some of the record ‘s best: I’ve Always Got You On My Mind is a serious earworm and Driver Go Slow is a sparse and haunting murder ballad. Upbeat rockers like Royal Oakie and I Know You Know should have been radio hits, at least in Texas. The album is a powerful grower, its melodies sinking in deep after a few listens, but unfortunately Rise was destined for obscurity
Rise / I’ve Always Got You On My Mind / Sittin By Your River / Driver Go Slow / I Know You Know / Royal Oakie / I Don’t Want To Be Seen With You / I Just Met You / Rock Me Baby / If The Night / It’s The Morning