The Longshots have a new album up their sleeves. Look for Inhaler this winter. But before then, it will be all Mucho Mango.
That’s according to co-frontman Joey Gorman. Not long after the gritty Rolling Stones/Clash-influenced quartet’s eponymous debut came out last August, Gorman and co-frontman Alex Zobel with drummer Brady Hamilton and bassist Kris Luther went back into the studio. For Inhaler, Taylor Tatsch was at the control board. Axeman for hire and owner of the relatively new Colleyville recording spot AudioStyles, Tatsch (The Orbans, Jetta in the Ghost Tree, Un Chien) is also responsible for the EP Kicker Again (the follow-up to 2012’s Kicker).
For Mucho Mango, The Longshots returned to the scene of their awesome debut, The Swamp, with Grammy-winning producer/drummer Jordan Richardson, a.k.a. Son of Stan. Released in mid-June by Los Angeles-based Mock Records (part of Julian Casablancas’ Frenchkiss Label Group), the 45 could have come from two different bands. Featuring twangy, dueling guitars like the Stones circa Some Girls, the title track is a lazy-day shuffle down the sunny side of the street with a sweet, thick singalong chorus and a syrupy, partially chordal guitar solo. Side B, “Enantiodromia,” is a 1:49-minute flurry of skitzo punk, sounding a lot like desert rockers Duell minus the heavy bottom end.
“The best way to show you what’s about to happen is to throw you into the polar sides,” Gorman said. “There’s no way of guessing what Inhaler’s going to sound like. It’s the funny idea of being like a bridge. It’s really just a metamorphosis, and [Mucho Mango] is just a mile marker.”
Gorman believes The Longshots have never sounded better. And that may be because of some improvements that Gorman and company have made personally. Zobel, for one, has been clean and sober for nearly a year.
“Everything we put out sounds like we feel,” Gorman said. “We’re not trying to perpetuate that we can do that too or be a part of that too. We just want to showcase ourselves 100 percent and see what happens. And it’s not like if it doesn’t happen now, it will never happen. The only way it will work out is by being yourself completely. Everyone wanting that in this band has changed our songwriting approach.”
Before Inhaler comes out, The Longshots will release a single in the fall, a teaser, Gorman said. “Things are moving so quickly in an awesome way. We’re actually focused for the first time, and it’s funny what that can do.”
To celebrate the release of Mucho Mango, The Longshots will perform on Friday with a few F-Dub homies –– Jake Paleschic, Bummer Vacation, Sur Duda, and DJ Darth Vapor (Richardson) –– at Temple of Dog (no “the”), 2625 Frazier Ave. in The Fairmount. Five bucks gets you into the party and gives you access to the keg. Seven dolla gets you all that plus a copy of the 45.
“We love every place we play in Fort Worth,” Gorman said, “but why not make it fucking weird for everybody.”
Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
