Music
Press
With tips of the hat to everything from Steve Earle, the Beat Farmers and Buddy Holly, Scandalosa impresses in the writing department and for it's lasting sonic imprint. - The Edmonton Journal
While much of the album has a hard edge, there's enough variety including some soft touches in the Barry Mathers songs Helplessly, and the album's lead single, November 11th, an ode to a war scarred uncle.The new single release from the album is a trucker's tale in the power driven Load Me Up; all of which help make Scandalosa the most complete album in the Cruzeros trilogy of disc's to date...and that would be saying something considering that their El Niño album, released in 2000, yielded some seven charted singles. - Country Music News
Scandalosa has been getting rave reviews from anyone who heard the pre release version. Produced by the amazing Joe Hardy, as well as the Cruzeros, Scandalosa is undoubtedly one of the best albums produced anywhere in the country this year. It's a must have. - The Okanagan Musician
As a jaded music journalist, I've come across just about every musical hybrid and genre splice you could ever think of. Mongolian blues band? Heard that. Moroccan polka reggae? What, again? Brazilian space-rock? Been done. I've heard it all. Or, at least I thought I did. Until I heard the Cruzeros. Get ready......the Cruzeros are a Canadian roots rock band who happen to favor a Mexican sound. Of course, you might have realized this from the CD title and the band name, but, hey....I'm a little slow sometimes. Vocalist/guitarist Barry Mathers is pretty much the leader here, writing the lion's share of the songs with and without his bandmates. Mathers and the rest of the band craft a pretty solid CD of radio-ready country mixed with a substantial bit of cantina. In fact, it sounds more like authentic (whatever that means) Texas music than most of the country music currently coming from Texas. The production, by Bill Buckingham and the band is very good, nothing lo-fi here. If I were to make a comparison I would say a Canadian version of our own Texas Tornadoes. Very good and I hope they get the attention Stateside that they deserve. - Freight Train Boogie
The Cruzeros blend an infectious combination of 70's style country rock ad Texas Tornados-flavored country sounds - think nitty Gritty Dirt Band with a little more dirt and a good shot of south of the border hot sauce thrown in for good measure. Voted the "2002 Best Independent Country Music Album" in Canada, the cd still garners critical acclaim in Canada and the US. - True West Magazine
Kelowna's Cruzeros are Canada's finest roots/Americana band and with a little luck will be as big or bigger south of the border as Prarie Oyster should have been. Canadian roots meister Fred Eaglesmith is a big fan and you will be too. - The Province, Vancouver BC
Discography
LPs: The Cruzeros, El Niño, Scandalosa.
Singles: Am I Invisible, Take You By The heart, Landslide, The Last Time, Into Your Eyes, Am I Losing You, Piece Of Stone, This Old Road, Tangled Up In You, Nothing But A Child, Roses And A Cross, Going There With Grace, November 11th, Load Me Up, The Way You're looking At Me.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
The Cruzeros, from Kelowna, British Columbia, are one of Canada's finest roots country acts. Since the release of their first album in 1996 they have charted over a dozen singles on Canadian radio, seven videos on CMT, received a Canadian Indie and dozens of other CCMA, BCCMA, WCMA and JUNO awards and nominations along with accolades from fans and industry peers.
They play mainly original music, an infectious style of "Cowboy Hippy Rock" with tips of the hat to such influences as Fred Eaglesmith, Guy Clark, Buddy Miller, Steve Earle, Texas Tornados, Los Lobos, John Hiatt, Joe Ely, Johnny Cash, The Band, The Eagles and The Beatles.
They are currently touring in support of their third album, Scandalosa, which was co-produced by the legendary Joe Hardy (ZZ Top, Steve Earle, Georgia Satellites) and features absolutely stunning performances by the band members and several of the finest session players in Nashville.
The band is equally at home performing unplugged or with full stadium production. They have appeared on innumerable stages, radio and TV shows and have toured in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Their music has been covered by several artists in North America and Europe and has been used in TV shows and a major motion picture. A tour of Europe is planned for 2007.
Links
