Hillbilly Vegas // A La Mode // Album Review

Oklahoma rockers Hillbilly Vegas are back with their latest offering, ‘A La Mode’, which is a true statement of where these guys have come from since forming way back in 2011, from the hard graft of years on the road, driving state to state, playing bars and venues, earning kudos and building us a solid reputation as one of the best southern rock bands on the scene.

Fast forward to 2026 and the band has spread their wings playing across the US, Canada, the UK & Europe, backing up the likes of Rock and Country stars including Blackberry Smoke, The Kentucky Headhunters, Ted Nugent and Wolfsbane; along with country icons Alabama, Travis Tritt, Blake Shelton, and Wynonna Judd. That, my friends, does not happen overnight; that is blood, sweat and tears right there, earning yourself the right to stand alongside the greats of the industry.

The album itself kicks off with an absolute banger in ‘Miss America’ with its slamming riff and drums on the intro, it’s like a shot of adrenaline that grabs your attention, and you know, right there, right then, you know you’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto hang onto your sweet ass! Steve (Harris) teases us with some warm, sultry vocals before he unleashes his blistering tone, and the song just takes off like a Charger down the highway! ‘Down The Honkytonk’ has an old-school, bluesy shuffle vibe that lets the band and Steve flex their musical muscles with a foot-stomper of a track, laced with glorious Hammond runs and a singalong chorus to feed the soul. ‘Let It Ride’ has that glorious old school, harmonised guitar flavour of old that screams classic Southern Rock with a bitchin groove you get lost in, it’s an Aerosmith x Lynyrd Skynyrd vibe, more of that please! I can only imagine how hard this is going to hit live. This will be a fan favourite on the setlist for sure. The album is rammed with signature Hillbilly Vegas tracks, from the hard-hitting rockers to power ballads and the playful tunes like ‘Every Jukebox In Town’ that remind me of early Queen albums, where you honestly didn’t know where the band would take you next, but you are absolutely in it for the ride.

The band’s most recent single release, ’ Mr Midnight’ with the legendary Paul Rodgers, is a highlight for sure, a killer tune in its own right, but adding the special sauce that is Paul Rodgers alongside Steve’s glorious vocals takes the track stratospheric! It serves as a reminder that the likes of Paul just don’t turn up for anyone; only rock royalty may apply. The album flows by in the blink of an eye; it’s easy on the ear, and solid songwriting makes it feel like a warm breeze on a cool summer night as you lose yourself in its classy southern rock tunes. With the addition of the likes of Geraldo Dominelli – Guitar/Keyboards (former Loverboy/Paul Rodgers)

Todd Ronning – Bass (former Bad Company), working their magic, their class shines through with subtle sprinkles of magic here and there that turn your head and bring a smile to your face on every song.

This one could be a soundtrack to their summer, long lazy drives, windows down and the stereo cranked to eleven! The album wraps up with a real rager in ‘Holding On’, which signs off on it perfectly, with a track that has Hillbilly Vegas DNA running through its veins, building to a crescendo that’ll have you pulling your best stank face.

We do love a good Southern Rock band here in the UK. We adopt a few each year that we feel are worthy of our love and adoration, and Hillbilly Vegas are one such band that, year on year, is going to build up an army of fans this side of the pond. ‘A La Mode’ is a feast for your ears, a testament to the genre and one that will capture the imagination of Southern Rock fanboys ( & girls ) far and wide. The world may be burning down around us, but goddam, we got a great soundtrack to play it out to!

‘A La Mode’ is out now, courtesy of Quarto Valley Records, and this one, ladies and gents, is worth your hard-earned money.