If Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon, and Roger Miller got into a back alley fist fight and the collective pools of blood morphed into a being of its own, it might just be Rodeo Mouth. And today, the Gonzo alt-country rock n’ rollers have released their latest single, “Leaving For Phoenix.”
The rollicking desert highway track’s frenetic energy is only matched by its catchiness, with the simple yet effective chorus bound to kick around in your head: “Well I’m leaving for Phoenix tomorrow / I’ve been in LA for too long / For 32 days I’ve been gone / And I’m leaving for Phoenix tomorrow.”
With a fade-in train beat and pedal steel lick signifying that of a new dawn, “Leaving For Phoenix” follows the age-old tale of a road-weary traveler just trying to get home. And the catch here is that home isn’t Phoenix, but rather Tennessee. The song is in fact autobiographical for lead singer and songwriter Paul Howard, who spent a solo month on the road between Nashville and LA writing songs and wrestling with the reality of having just turned 30 with not much to show for it back in 2019.
A notable verse in the track, “I was sittin’ on my bed when the earth shook / Thought it was the drugs I had not took / And I was writin’ this song when I felt it / So I sparked up a number and got lit,” harkens to a small earthquake Howard experienced in the morning hours in Pico Rivera while in fact working on the song. It ends with the tongue-in-cheek lines, “Well the desert will be my home in the mornin’ / 1,500 miles to go / Then I’ll be back to my home in Tennessee / Where my singin’ career will be takin’ off any day,” signifying a sarcastic if not slightly hopeful aspiration.
Delivering an epic pedal steel guitar performance is Nashville mainstay Van Coffey, who performed with the late great George Jones the last few years of his life, along with The Bellamy Brothers and Collin Raye. The track also features Irish songbird and now-local singer-songwriter Neve Cunnane on background vocals.
“Leaving For Phoenix” follows the band’s previous singles, “Fanny’s Farmhouse” and “Cowboy Cannibal.” It was recorded at The Bomb Shelter (Alabama Shakes, Hurray For The Riff Raff)in East Nashville.
Rodeo Mouth is finishing up their debut album, which is set for a summer release, and booking shows in Nashville and beyond.
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