Palomino kicks off their career with a song called “Luccheses,” which they describe as capturing the feeling of being out on a Friday night in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs.
In the song, the focal point is a crowded bar with music playing, and a person who comes in wearing Lucchese boots. This simple introduction lays the foundation for confidence, charisma, and an energy that can define a night.
A Different Kind of Country Upbringing:
For Palomino, a trio consisting of Anna Peña, Reed Hoelscher, and Grant Byrd, country
music is shaped by the environments in which they were raised. Growing up in the
Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs, the band was exposed to a wide range of music, including
rock, rap, metal, and country, which is reflected in their playing and singing. The kind of
country Palomino makes is influenced by day-to-day situations like driving into town,
tailgate dinners, and hanging out in bars at night.
Built Fast, Meant to Last:
“Luccheses” did not take much time to form. The song began as a hook created on
impulse and evolved into a complete song in one night. Such a rapid rate of creation
can easily make a song seem unfinished; however, the product is anything but. The
group applied this approach even when recording.
The artists called upon reliable friends to help fill in any instrumental parts needed and
then recorded live in Texas. The result is a track that feels as if it were actually
performed, with no loss of fluidity.
Energy Over Everything:
Palomino isn’t overthinking what “alt-country” might mean for them. The emphasis here
is on feeling. There are guitars everywhere, drums that know when it’s time to breathe,
and a buildup that keeps all the good stuff while never sacrificing edge.
This is where their larger goal becomes clear as well. Their objective is to become a
band forever known for the energy and impact they create when performing live. In that
sense, “Luccheses” can be seen as a type of song meant to set the tone at the
beginning of a concert.
A Song of a Certain Time:
What stands out most about “Luccheses” is the fact that it knows it’s time. It doesn’t try
to complicate anything, and it doesn’t strive to explore the depths of what may be said
beyond that first encounter between two people who make eye contact across the
room.
For a debut, it’s a confident introduction, not just to Palomino’s sound, but to the world they’re pulling from. And with more music already in the pipeline and plans to hit the road, “Luccheses” feels less like a one-off and more like the start of something that’s built to stick around.
Check out Palomino’s debut single “Luccheses” below: