BY LESLEY HASTINGS
Ok I’ll admit it, the band name made me smile and intrigued to find out what Mackenzie Roark And The Hotpants were all about when the press release from their UK PR company reached me.
And I’m glad I did check them out, I really liked what I heard music-wise together with Mackenzie’s outlook on life in general (read her insightful and amusing “Ramblings” on her website!) .
Mackenzie hails from Virginia and after gaining degrees in both English and Creative Writing turned to songwriting as a channel for her creativity. Her wide ranging musical influences include Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, ELO, The Rolling Stones and Heart, with her resulting style a blend of Americana, rock and roll and classic country. I got Jaime Wyatt and American Aquarium vibes, with a bit of Eagles thrown in, listening to them.
Forming The Hotpants in 2023 after a decade of playing as both solo artist and a member of various bands, from venues ranging from dive bars and coffee shops to bigger stages and festivals , the five-piece bring Mackenzie’s dynamic songwriting to life with fiery fiddle electric guitar riffs , funky bass lines and tight harmonies. They have quickly risen to regional popularity and become an in demand band, and I’m confident that it won’t be long before they gain recognition further afield.
Work started on their self-funded, self – produced debut album “Ghost of Rock and Roll” immediately after forming, released Stateside last month it’s now available to stream here too (link below). Recorded at Red Amp Audio in Richmond it’s got the urgency, energy and excitement of a live show as far as I’m concerned. There’s a bit of a 70s West Coast vibe going on, and it sounds like the band had a lot of fun along the way! Billy Bacci’s lead guitar playing is impressive throughout as is the driving back beat of drummer Drew Barnocky and I love the aforementioned mentioned fiddle playing (Caroline Vain) and vocal harmonies that weave their way through the nine tracks. With some witty and thought provoking lyrics, Mackenzie is definitely a songwriter of note.
Favourites with me after a few listens are “Rich Man” (life as a touring musician is tough but “nothing good comes easy, this I know“) “Hot American Red Blood” (which I interpret as being about drug addiction) and “Cigarettes & TV Dinners” (a great post-break up write, showing her gritty determination to stick to her decision despite the consequences).
There’s a fantastic quirky video for the track “Killin’ Time”, which is about just that…..waiting for something better to come along both personally and professionally.
The album closes with most trad country track, the honky tonk inspired “Broken Juke Box Blues”, a very clever and well observed write. I love the analogy between an artist playing in a bar but being totally ignored by the crowd who are more interested in chatting with their friends over dinner and watching the screened sport “do they know what they’re missing? Yeah boy they ain’t got a clue” and the titular broken juke box, gathering dust in a corner.
“What happens to these songs drifting in and out my lungs, do they just drift away and disappear?” Mackenzie asks on this final track, it would be a crime if that were the case and I hope I’ve inspired at least a few of you to take a listen to this exciting band.
Stream the album here
More artist information here