i was really surprised when i heard "work it out" and wrote an over the moon entry that seemed to resonate well with the band and hannah williams in particularly. never the less i liked it so much i felt i had to do an entry when the album dropped and i thought it was going to be released in two weeks but that was for the physical release. so when the band announced on facebook that i could get it already from bandcamp, i did my skim through the tracks and wasn't disappointed, henceforth it was a done deal.
as an single entity it's a great album going by three full listen through, the themes of the songs is held up well and downright funky tracks are combined with heartfelt blues & soul numbers. the band is on point and i wanna commend the horn section consisting of chloe harvey on trumpet and gina tratt on saxophone and hillman mondegreens guitar that really accentuate the tracks. not taking anything from the rhythm section consisting of jimi needles on drums, dougie taylor on bass and james graham on organ/keys.
the songs that hit i liked the most was "i'm a good woman", "the kitchen strut" & "(when are you gonna) say you're mine". the first mentioned which has williams' going at it a powerful upbeat stax like number about how to deal a spouse that has mistreating her. "the kitchen strut" comes from the school of the j.b.'s and from the initial vocal "i'm gonna tell you a story" and the bongo-driven rhythm, it's a winner.
"(when are you gonna) say you're mine" is one of the ballads and follows another ballad, being "washed up". what made really single out this one is that heavy vocal register of williams that i fell in love with "work it out". it honestly sounds country in the beginning, like dolly parton's slower numbers. the james graham's organ and mondegreen's strummed guitar set that tone along williams softer tone but then it changes.
right after you hear hannah bellowing voice belt out "i'm not used to this" and "boy you're making me sweat" with so much emphasis on the last words, i am reminded of that end moment of "work it out". following that it isn't dolly parton anymore but it's more or a case of the gospel type blues of bessie smith, infact in my head i can hear jay-z saying "take 'em to church".
it becomes heavier and heavier and it's a song for repeated listens. i love it so much and i think the band should pat yourself on the back for it.
buy here (bandcamp)
more highlights of the album include the album closer "things to come", an instrumental and is a nice light shuffle that include chloe harvey really belting it out for her solo spot. the great part is the title which says so much that there are more in the works and that you are going to want to hear the next release as well.
also the jb's styled "get it (part 1)" with williams doing the roles of james brown and telling the band to break it down near the end. after it's counted down you hear needles funky drumming and gina tratt doing a killer solo. i don't know who pulls off the bobby byrd like "yeahs" in many of the songs when williams does call & response like james brown but it's quite spot on.
last note is that i wish the world for the band and i hope they can provide the listening audience with more great music like this.
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