In yet another strange turn of events to occur in 2020, Jon Pardi has released a surprise album entitled “Rancho Fiesta Sessions.” The project is named after Pardi’s home in Nashville, the site of the one-night jam session that spawned this collection of eight cover tracks.
“I nicknamed my place out here Rancho Fiesta because it was fun and sounded uplifting. We recorded this at the shop out here and I thought it made sense to reference where the project was recorded,” Pardi explained.
Pardi and his touring band were able to strike a healthy balance between staying true to the classics they covered and keeping things fresh for the younger audience hearing these songs for the first time. Right away, it’s clear that Pardi intended for this record to have the feel of an intimate, live performance. Between the neon lights on the cover and the commentary from Pardi and his bandmates at the end of each track, it feels as though you’re a lucky fan sitting on a barstool watching these performances happen in real time.
The album kicks off with Pardi’s rendition of Merle Haggard’s “The Bottle Let Me Down.” As one of the most faithful covers on the album, this track serves as proof of Pardi and his band’s respect for the originals they are remaking. It also demonstrates that they’ve got the chops to make it through such a diverse collection of songs. The bright, twangy guitar, aggressive fiddle, prominent pedal steel and honky tonk piano provide a strong foundation for the rest of the album.
Pardi’s touring violinist, Billy McClaran, really shines on “Right or Wrong,” the title track from George Strait’s 1983 album. It’s not easy to get a great live fiddle sound, but despite being recorded in just one night, McClaran’s parts really shine throughout “Rancho Fiesta Sessions.”
“Marina Del Rey,” the second George Strait cover on the album, and “Somebody’s Doin’ Me Right,” the Keith Whitley hit, seem to have posed the greatest challenge to Pardi. The “Rancho Fiesta Sessions” version of the former suffers a bit because Pardi’s naturally nasally voice just doesn’t have the depth of Strait’s lower range. The cover of the latter is missing the subtlety of Whitely’s distinctly soft, gentle tone. Whereas Pardi’s energetic approach usually benefits the music he plays by making it more lively, it seems to have detracted from the emotional power of these two tracks.
Although they are the only two songs on the album from outside of the country genre, Pardi’s renditions of Tom Petty’s “The Waiting” and Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” are much better. McClaran’s saxophone solo on “Nothing Compares 2 U” is quite the testament to the versatility of Pardi’s band. Pardi’s reinterpretations of these songs really put his loyalty to traditional country on display.
Overall, this album is a fantastic choice for anyone who’s missing live music during the pandemic. Pardi did a great job of capturing the spirit of a live show with this self-produced record. Its quality gives fans plenty of reason to buy a ticket to see him in concert once it’s safe to do so.
