"Along with their many singles and internet only releases, R Soos and the Ranch Hands are making the grandiose move into that otherworldly domain known as a CD. Something you can feel and touch. Shiver me timebars. Given their fondness for beer and bbq, one can honestly wonder how these folks get anything down on tape. Seemingly miraculous, the end result has a cohesiveness only folks who love playing together can achieve. In the modern realm of high-technique, the Ranch Hands have a distinct pride in their lo-fi roots. They are not shy about announcing from the first track that they have no ambition to fall into the '21st Century Trap' of marketing things people don't want or need.
“Back On My Feet Again” lovingly tells the working man's tale of managing to find work and making ends meet. And, when hard times come again, there is still the optimism that with song and style, all of the Ranch Hands will pick themselves back up on their feet again. 'Run Wild' is a love song where the croaking vocalist asks the one of his dreams to do exactly that: 'run wild with me'. Like it or not, we still live in a world where folks have no qualms playing games with hearts - and the ranch hands manage to make 'Outlaw Lovin'' feel natural and pure. 'Slow Night Blues' is exactly that, and delicately leads into the first single release, 'Rock and Roll Preacher'. The preacher in this story is 'worse than a gangster, but better than a teacher.' One gets the feeling the Ranch Hands did not love school.
Side two gets the party started with fiddles backing up the story of Sally, the girlfriend of our narrator who sneaks out on him with his own brother. 'High Lonesome Blues' speaks plaintively of 'my getting held days are over and done'. With the fiddles out, the music continues with twin fiddles on the tribute tune to 'Fiddle Players' everywhere ('when you're around I'll never be blue'). The slow dance follows. Picture holding your favorite person in your arm and dancing nice and slow, and singing aloud that they 'Feel Like Home'. Makes you almost want to cry tender tears.
The inevitable road song is here called 'Gypsy Drivers On The Road' which may sound like a complaint about how fast the road takes the band from town to town, but close listening makes you feel there is a deep love for the travels. The title tune ('Old Guitars') comes near the end and welcomes everyone to 'that good old southern breeze', full of what the cover picture displays as old-fashioned humidity.
The album ends with a confessional waltz entitled 'Deep In My Bones': 'Over the years I ain't got very far writing music and words that made me a star.' At times, 'Old Guitars And A Road to Ride' hints that the men would rather not do anything than play music in their little corner of the world. Another strongly evocative theme in the album is that the Ranch Hands will work at whatever occupation is available to help their loved ones live a life with food and shelter, and if folks like the music, then rave on. - Tony Richardson"
