Browsing Tag

Honkytonk

Honkytonk echoes the unspoken in The Stone Hill All-Stars’ seminal single, What I Left Unsaid

Posted on 11 September 2024

If their latest standout release, What I Left Unsaid, is anything to go by, The Stone Hill All-Stars more than live up to their moniker. The band may have borrowed from the blues in their honkytonk country folk-rock track, but the aural escapade is anything but mournful; the track exhilarates as it pulses with a liveliness that’s downright infectious, supported by the band’s unmistakable charisma.

Hailing from Baltimore’s music scene, the members of The Stone Hill All-Stars originally played with notable groups such as Two Legs, Mambo Combo, and The Polkats. Together, as a powerhouse, they traverse a smorgasbord of genres, adding depth, vigour and devil-may-care soul wherever they see fit.

With the production quality throwing back to the timbres of college radio rock nostalgia, image-evoking folk tales running through the lyrics and the confluence of crying harmonicas, blazing horns, fiddles flaring and guitars amplified through old tube amps, the band constructed a solid sonic foundation that celebrates musical roots while forging new expressive pathways.

Through their craft, The Stone Hill All-Stars pay homage to their diverse influences while offering and distinct take on what modern folk-rock can be.

What I Left Unsaid is now available to stream with the Wednesday in Winter LP on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Christa Joy and the Honeybees – Omens: Irreverently Witty Alt-Country

Posted on 15 August 2024

Christa Joy and the Honeybee’s superlatively seminal Alt-Country single, Omens, from their eponymous fourth studio album, charts a profound journey mapped by emotive storytelling and artfully affecting sonic processions. If any contemporary country singer-songwriter can instil an infinity for Americana in the new generation of music fans, it’s Christa Joy with her irreverently witty lyricism.

The single initiates with Christa’s hauntingly reflective, pensively tinged vocals, adeptly drawing listeners into a world filled with imagery-evoking melancholy before the salving honkytonk instrumentals accompany and soothe Christa’s poetically outpoured pain as a parable for the sanctifyingly uplifting nature of the soundscape.

The tale of how endless time can feel in the wake of a breakup which leaves your world feeling cold has been told countless times before. Yet, by playing with light and shade, interplaying torment with gratitude and injecting some quintessential country humour through evolving lyricism centred around the dog that was left behind, the single unravels as a tenderly heartwarming revelation of how disorientating it can feel to step into the world, unsure of what paths to take to heal.

With the 4th LP from the Western Massachusetts singer-songwriter in the pipeline and due for release on August 24, there’s never been a better time to tune into the artist’s alchemic approach to conjuring emotion through artfully orchestrated alt-country. The album promises an exhibition of the band’s chemistry and Christa’s maturation as a songwriter, featuring tracks that range from classic honky-tonk to gospel-tinged country ballads

Omens was officially released on August 2nd; stream the single on Bandcamp and SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sarah McCulloch painted a mountainous vignette with her honkytonk hit, Back In Them Hills

Posted on 25 March 2024
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Sarah McCulloch’s single Back In Them Hills is a vivid portrayal of the landscape her soul calls home, offering listeners a sanctuary in its upbeat honkytonk rhythms. The track goes beyond a mere tribute to country folk’s roots; McCulloch becomes a conduit for the genre’s enduring spirit. Her vocal lines which spill over with soul are as panoramic as the landscapes she paints with her lyrics.

McCulloch, a renowned folk singer-songwriter and country artist from Florida, is known for her exceptional storytelling and poignant lyrics. Her ability to weave captivating stories through her music has earned her a loyal fan base and critical acclaim, with Americana-UK and Lonesome Highway praising her previous works for her modern yet traditional sound.

McCulloch’s upcoming full-length acoustic album, Driving Me Home, produced by Jim Bickerstaff and featuring Florida musicians like Raiford Starke and Jeanie Fitchen, is an inspiring collection of aural stories which reflect themes of triumph over adversity and the courage to embrace vulnerability. Born in Miami and raised near the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, McCulloch’s music, recognised by the State of Florida’s Division of Arts and Culture, draws inspiration from her unique upbringing.

Back in Them Hills was officially released on March 22nd; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Little Jane and the Pistol Whips – Montana Can’t You See: A Heartfelt Homage to Americana

Posted on 12 March 2024

Little Jane and the Pistol Whips‘ single, ‘Montana Can’t You See’, from their 2023 LP ‘Long Road Ahead’, is a vibrant tribute to the heart and soul of Americana. The aural entryway into the nostalgic realm of Honkytonk is wrapped in the beauty of Montana’s landscapes.

The panoramic vignette of Montana’s magnetic trappings envelops you from the first verse as the upbeat country folk arrangement, including folk strings, ensures that a flood of feel-good momentum courses through the sepia-tinged ravines of the single that, despite the polished production, could have been released in any era.

Ashly ‘Little Jane’ Holland’s dynamic voice is the centrepiece of this musical masterpiece. Her ability to infuse serotonin into the souls of her listeners is unparalleled, bringing a sunny disposition that’s infectious. Her vocal style, reminiscent of legends like Loretta Lynn, adds a vintage country feel to the song, yet across her expansive discography, her range allows her to traverse from haunting ballads to up-tempo cowgirl romps with ease.

No true Americana fan would be able to resist the temptation of the rest of her repertoire after hearing Montana Can’t You See.

Montana Can’t You See is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The decades washed away in the latest synthesis of rockabilly and honkytonk country from Kristi Jean and Her Ne’er Do-Wells, ‘Long Haul Lady’

Posted on 5 January 2024
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Kristi Jean and Her Ne’er Do-Wells struck a resonantly nostalgic chord with their latest track, ‘Long Haul Lady‘, a vibrant fusion of rockabilly and country that redefines the genre with a modern twist of female empowerment. From the opening verse, the song is a narratively rich journey, weaving a tapestry of vivid imagery set against the backdrop of jive-worthy rhythmic honkytonk finesse.

The upbeat, panoramic release showcases the band’s tight orchestration and Kristi Jean’s commanding vocal presence; The Stray Cat strut pales in comparison to the swagger of Long Haul Lady, a song that not only entertains but also breaks down gender stereotypes with its infectious charm. The feel-good grooves are potent; capable of erasing the past seven decades and bringing listeners into a realm where the old is new again.

The way Kristi Jean embodies the ultimate femme fatale in this song, seamlessly melding masculine strength with feminine beguile, creates an impossible-to-ignore statement of artistic integrity and stylistic flair. You’ll want her pouring through your speakers for days after you hit play.

Long Haul Lady will debut on January 5th; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Barnyard Stompers – Punk Rock Girl: A Honkytonk-Punk Rock Antithesis of a Love Story

Posted on 13 January 2023
Barnyard Stompers

I never knew how much I needed a gritty Americana track with psychobilly tendencies about the incompatibility between honkytonk guys and punk rock girls until I heard Barnyard Stompers’ narratively enticing single Punk Rock Girl. If you thought that Nick Cave could weave a compelling set of lyrics, prepare for your idol to be sonically knocked down a peg or two by Barnyard Stompers with their quintessentially country tones and ability to reel you in hook, lyric and sinker.

With touches of desert psych to the rolling basslines in the intro that give way to the definitive twang of Americana guitars and the astute observations about the contrast of the two cultures, “he doesn’t have a clue why you want to burn shit down”, it’s impossible not to get immersed in the antithesis of a love story.

Towards the outro following the Gretschy psychobilly riffs that fade into distorted obscurity away from the solid rockin’ rhythms, there is a twist! The honkytonk man was once a punk rock boy; he liked the new wave, ska, hardcore, psychobilly, and oi but threw away his DMs because there’s nothing punk about punk rock anymore. I can wholly relate.

Punk Rock Girl will officially release on January 13th. Check it out via the band’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

The Fairweather Friend pained an illusion of entropy with the descending melodies in their dark cabaret score, Zoetrope

Posted on 11 December 2022

With their distinctive brand of despondent dark cabaret, the up-and-coming histrionically enthralling artist, The Fairweather Friend, left us arrested with their latest single, Zoetrope.

The bitter-sweet neo-classic crescendos bring a touch of archaic elegance to the single as the Westworld-Esque honkytonk piano keys diatonically hammer home the sinking sensations portrayed by the lyrics, which allude to the dizzying disposition of entropy. Zoetrope easily up there with one of the most resonant singles I’ve heard this year, beating Amanda Palmer’s cover of Surface Pressure by a cinematic mile.

We can’t wait to hear what else is in the pipeline from the criminally underrated artist and their inhibited compulsion to extend solidarity to anyone out there who knows just how much the touch of ennui stings.

Zoetrope was officially released on November 23rd. It is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Andrea & Mud are a rocksteady cinematic vision in their honkytonk classic country single, A World Just You and Me

Posted on 13 September 2022
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Slip away from the 21st century with the honkytonk classic country single, A World Just You and Me, by the alchemically alluring Atlanta-based duo Andrea & Mud.

With Setzer-esque winding guitars which resound around the custom-crafted surf-western motifs between trickling piano keys and percussion that was crafted to jive to, A World Just You and Me is a rocksteady cinematic vision which transcends nostalgia by moving into the future of retro.

While Andrea Colburn vocally brings the grace and beguile, Kyle ‘Mud’ Moseley’s baritone vocal soul aches with sincerity, despite the playful tone of the romantically spurred lyrics.

A World Just You and Me will be available to stream and download from September 13th. Catch it on Soundcloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bobtail Yearlings – Willy the Cocoa: Honkytonk folk pop

Posted on 10 July 2021
Bobtail Yearlings

Bobtail Yearlings’ release, Willy the Cocoa, is quaint enough to make Neutral Milk Hotel sound straightlaced and Nick Cave unimaginative.

The baroque indie folk-pop single tells a tragic story by using stark lyricism to paint a portrait of societal anxiety through whimsical observations and the insinuations of lament at the duality between the lives of the privileged and disadvantaged.

Despite the sombre scribing of the death of a mentally disabled man, in its essence, Willy the Cocoa is an uplifting single that won’t fail to leave you mesmerised with the artist’s quintessential charm.

The honkytonk track may not be everyone’s taste, but anyone with an infinity for avant-garde will find that their intrigue pays off this time around.

You can check out the audio webcomic that accompanies Willy the Cocoa for yourselves here.

Review by Amelia Vandergast