by Jacob Wingate-Bishop

Yankee Gaucho are a band of many colours, assembled in Portland, Oregon under the lead of Ronjon Datta, who spent many years learning about gaucho (skilled horsemen who have become folk symbols across Latin America) music. The group have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with on the stage, straddling the line between their own, original folk rock and traditional Latin flamenco.

But there was only so long they could perform their music live, as the sound desk of the studio beckoned, prompting them to put together their debut record, Rock ‘n’ Roll ConFusion. It’s a collection of six rollicking tracks, each boasting more than five minutes of pyschadelic, Spanish-inflected ambience. It’s also clear from the get-go that Ronjon’s past in Argentina shaped a faithful – if adventurous – vision of what would become Gaucho’s offerings, creating mad scientist concoctions of progressive rock and Zamba, wailing guitar solos and congas, country with a Hammond organ. It’s all going on.

The record’s first two tracks, ‘Piedra y Camino Pt 1 & 2’ and ‘Zamba Para Olvidarte’ are covers of big, Argentinian epics, echoing long rides over sand-swept plains under a shimmering sun. But where Yankee Gaucho’s debut really comes into its own are the band’s own, original compositions, such as ‘Wandering Companion’ and ‘Death, Booze & Saxophone’, fusing pseudo-punk rock with timeless Latin soul. All four members of the band (Ronjon, lead guitarist Mark Kellogg, bassist Jon Zaer and drummer Jay Leaver) are on top form, but it’s Ronjon’s mournful vocals that soar like an eagle possessed.

Rock ‘n’ Roll ConFusion bows out gracefully with another original track, followed by nothing short of a sprawling, ten-minute voyage, galloping from one South American folk tune (‘La Siete de Abril’) to another (‘Zamba del Che’). Traditional gaucho music and Tarantino-esque accompaniments conjure images of horseback chases, guitar-wielding wanderers and sun-spilled horizons.

More than once, Yankee Gaucho success on weaving traditional staples with their own stuff, each track defining, but ultimately part of a complete suite. In a world of hollow pop and formulaic, westernised rock, this American group offer something unique – and perhaps much needed – to the collective palate. There’s no denying that this kind of music won’t be to everyone’s taste, but the album’s themes of heartbreak, hope and comfort in the wilderness will linger in the mind of many.

Rock ‘n’ Roll ConFusion, the first album from Yankee Gaucho, is out now on all platforms.