Those who only know Francis Rossi through his tenure with three-chord merchants Status Quo might have been surprised when he veered into country on the album We Talk Too Much. Or maybe not. Quo were always deceptively simple and, from psychedelia to boogie rock, incorporated many different styles into their sound, but this 2019 release allowed Francis to delve deeper into his love of Americana, and along with vocalist Hannah Rickard produced an album that still sounds amazing, regardless of what genre tag you wish to place on it. Now getting its first ever vinyl release, there’s never been a better time to rediscover this dusky gem.

‘I’ll Take You Home’ is a lively opener and one that sets the tone for the rest of the record and if you’re not tapping your toes within the first twenty seconds, then you really need a new set of ears. It’s life-affirming and sweeps the listener along with a breezy kind of effervescence that makes the struggle and strife of the daily grind worthwhile. Whatever trials and tribulations you face in life, there’ll always be the likes of ‘I’ll Take You Home’ (and ‘Maybe Tomorrow’) to sugar the pill somewhat. It’s the greatest gift that music can give and We Talk Too Much comes bearing a baker’s dozen.

While the thirteen track comprising We Talk Too Much come country-tinged, don’t expect a radical departure from Francis’ past; after all, you can take the man out of Quo, but you can’t take Quo out the man. With a little more amplification and lashings of feedback you get the impression that any one of these tunes could be “Quo’ed-up” and wouldn’t sound out of place on the likes of In The Army Now and Heavy Traffic. However, there’s no denying that this album is a step into unexplored territory for Francis and it works primarily because his love for the music shines through. There’s more fingerpicking and fretwork pyrotechnics than we’ve heard from him before, but as a guitarist it seems that he really can’t help himself and unleashes solos (most notably on ‘I’ve Tried Letting It Go’) which are far more expressive than anything he’s played with Quo, and brings to mind the more emotive style of Mark Knopfler.

We mustn’t overlook Hannah’s contribution to proceedings, not only with the viola that makes a nice foil for the Gomor’s guitar (that’s the Grand Old Man Of Rock), but also her crystalline vocals that trill like the sweetest birdsong. She’s the glacial ice cube quelling Francis’ whiskey-croak and the two work very well in tandem; the frost to Francis’ fire, Hannah often acts as a counterweight to reign in his rockier tendencies and subsequently We Talk Too Much inhabits that magical place betwixt country and rock; it’s a crossover album in its purest definition and will appeal to fans of both, and in equal measure. The previously unissued ‘Broken Memory’ is added as a bonus track and makes for a more thoughtful conclusion than the lively ‘Maybe Tomorrow’.

Francis and Hannah had previously worked together on the Aquostic projects, but We Talk Too Much finds their partnership coming to fruition and proves that while some people do indeed Talk Too Much, we just can’t stop listening!

• We Talk Too Much is released via earMUSIC on 3rd May 2024 (available here).
• Francis Rossi Official Website

Track List:

Vinyl Edition

Side A:

1. I’ll Take You Home
2. I’ve Tried Letting It Go
3. Oughta Know By Now
4. But I Just Said Goodbye
5. Waiting For Jesus
6. I’m Only Happy

Side B:

7. Rearrange
8. I Talk Too Much
9. Heartbreaker
10. Good Times Bad Times
11. Sinking In Blue
12. Maybe Tomorrow
13. Broken Memory (Bonus Track)

CD and Digital Editions:

As Vinyl, Tracks 1 through 13