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What a pleasant surprise Rosie Flores’ Working Girl’s Guitar is! This Latina lady is pure rockabilly. She plays a mean electric guitar and has a powerful voice. As she says in her song, she’s “Little But I’m Loud.”
The first two songs on the CD, “Working Girl’s Guitar” and “Little But I’m Loud” are pure country. But the third song, “Yeah Yeah,” has a pure classic early rock and roll sound, very reminiscent of Skeeter Davis or Wanda Jackson. After that comes “Drugstore Rock and Roll,” which Flores belts out in Brenda Lee fashion.
Surprisingly, the next song, an instrumental, is pure surf rock. It’s an original number (as were “Yeah Yeah” and “Little But I’m Loud”). This one could stand with any of the great surf hits of the ’60s and showcases Flores’ amazing guitar ability.
Following the surf music is a ballad, “Love Must Have Passed Me By,” on which Flores is joined by early ’60s teen idol Bobby Vee. Flores then tackles a classic by the King himself, Elvis Presley, as she performs a great rockabilly version of “Too Much.” That is followed by more classic Wanda Jackson, female rockabilly style in “If I Could Be With You.”
The CD closes with the George Harrison Beatles classic, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Flores sings the song in a sweet, charming style, which once again showcases her guitar mastery.
The whole CD is only nine songs, each around three minutes long, but there is something to be said for short bursts of pure musical delight that keep the listener constantly engaged for the entire time. And then you can always play it again, which you will. This one is a must-have for all fans of rockabilly and anyone who has ever enjoyed any of the greats like Wanda Jackson, Patsy Cline, Skeeter Davis, or Brenda Lee.
