Rosie Flores - Speed Of Sound (2001)

Rosie Flores reaffirms her rockabilly roots by leading off her fifth studio album, Speed of Sound, with "Rock-a-Bye Boogie," originally heard as the B-side of the Davis Sisters' number one country single of 1953, "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know," and closing it with Johnny Cash's "Country Boy." But in between, she tries out a number of other musical styles and succeeds mightily with them. The diversity begins with the second track, "Don't Know If I'm Comin' or Goin'," a little-known number from Billie Holiday's catalog. Then it's back to rockabilly for Buck Owen's "Hot Dog." Co-producer Rick Vito's "Devil Love," which follows, may sound like another oldie, with its sinuous samba rhythm, but it is actually a 2001 copyright. Flores puts her three co-compositions, "Don't Take It Away," "Speed of Sound," and "Somebody's Someone," in the middle of the disc. The first uses a Bo Diddley beat to make a romantic plea, while the title track demonstrates that Flores can write a contemporary-sounding song when she wants to. This one would make a good addition to the repertoire of Bonnie Raitt or Emmylou Harris. "Somebody's Someone" is another genre exercise, a relaxed Western swing number Flores might have played on her tour with Asleep at the Wheel in 1997. She takes her own stab at Marshall Crenshaw's "Somewhere Down the Line," having had her duet vocals mysteriously uncredited when she sang the song on Crenshaw's Life's Too Short album, and makes a point of crediting her own harmony partner, Terry McBride. "I Push Right Over" is an attractive two-step and the album's most likely candidate for a country radio single. Add it up, and Speed of Sound is a varied collection that addresses Rosie Flores' traditional strengths and also shows her capable of making good music in many styles.