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Orlando Mendez delivers a powerful and gritty performance in his single “Long Gone Lullaby.”
It has that country tune that makes it so raw and hits home for Southerners. What the ballad or ode possesses, though, is a loathsome voice with revenge and sass.
The song starts off with a cinematic and dramatic instrumental intro. Then we are brought to the upfront vocals of Mendez, which are unbelievably rich and tender with a thick timbre. Mendez presents his heartbreak through a vengeful ode in the form of a song that starts with, “You always wanted me to write you a song, so babygirl, here’s how it goes…” I would expect 100% emotional damage from whichever ex-girlfriend this is related to. The unfiltered language, the swings from tender beginnings turning cold by the turn, are just lyrically ingenious and they shine in his “Long Gone Lullaby.”
The musical arrangement adds another layer to its emotional impact. Mendez sets the stage for what I personally thought was a classic love song. However, as the chorus hits with the lines, “This is that Bourbon and Whisky/Baby, don’t you miss me/Cause you never treated me right,” the dynamics shift dramatically. The track gets infused with a smoky accent and crashes with rock-and-roll energy. The audience will be shaken by the sudden change of tone, but it’s more than what they came for—it’s what they stay for. The song is just way too good to pause at that point.
With Jack Sizemore’s guitar work, the song needs nothing more to solidify its intensity. With its blend of raw honesty and energetic delivery, this single establishes Mendez as an artist to watch in the country-rock genre.
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Review By: Naomi Joan