Customer Reviews

Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There's some solid songs on this album, but overall it seems to lack the punch that Buckle in the Bible Belt had. I can listen to that album from start to finish, over and over. This album, however, I have to skip through about 1/3 of the songs and it just doesn't seem to have the same replay value.

Edit: I had to revisit this album after not listening to in a long while. I'd have to say my first impressions were off base. After really listening to the songs and the lyrics I have to change my review from a 3 to a 4. It still doesn't hit me as hard as "Buckle in the Bible Belt" does or even as much as the new album "Death of a Decade." I realize this probably due to the theme of the album, but judging it on its own, and not comparing it to their other albums, it definitely deserves at least 4 stars.

I saw these guys live last summer at a small, one-day festival in Madison, WI, and was impressed by their ability to blow pretty much everyone else away, including headliners The Black Keys. I listened to their debut album quite a bit before seeing them headline in a much smaller venue in May. They are a great band live, and the first album captures this energy well. The second album isn't as "foot-stompin'," as they've self-described themselves, and is, admittedly, somewhat of a sophomore slump. That doesn't necessarily make it a bad listen, however. It seems like the interplay between instruments is coming together smoothly, and one could possibly compare their first two albums to their one-time tourmates Meat Puppets. Obviously that is going to get some backlash, as Meat Puppets II is a highly-revered album amongst indie fans and those into Nirvana's unplugged, but I see the potential to create an "Up On The Sun" for their next album.
The Kings of Leon comparisons are going to come in droves, obviously, and if you're a fan of the Followill's I'd advise you to buy both albums. The lyrics are world's apart, however, as you'd have to strain to find the type of straightforward boy-girl songs that populate KoL's catalog. The ace-in-the-hole, as far as I'm concerned, that HHT have is Brett Anderson, who sings lead on one song "Buckle in the Bible Belt" and two on this. It's like the difference between "Free Bird" and the Allman Brothers' "Melissa"--at worst a welcome, uplifting change.

"Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South" is, as I have discovered, an album that draws its themes from a 1907 novel, "The Shepherd of the Hills," by one Harold Bell Wright, described as "an Ozark classic." I mention this fact to set expectations a bit as this CD is a song-cycle, steeped in tradition and history, washed in blood, and rinsed in repentance.

The music is dark, Southern, and sometimes tense through the grace of understatement. Consider the opening track, Pendergast Machine, which consists of constrained guitars always on the verge of cutting loose, no drums, and a nearly spoken vocal. Perhaps I am hindered in not knowing the novel that forms the basis for this CD, but I can appreciate the stories these songs tell, infused with primal images from southern Protestantism, the echoes of the Civil War, violence and woe, and responsibility.

Before driving you away with the aura of gloom that may be coalescing about now, I would recommend you give this CD a few solid listens to enjoy what's here. I'm sort of surprised to find out this is only Ha Ha Tonka's second release (and I have not heard the band's first recording yet), as these guys seem unafraid to take chances, sometimes underplaying the solos or throwing in a bit of saloon piano or trying out some interesting percussion. Great vocals throughout and high energy guitar really keep things lively--most of the time. (I have no idea who plays what in this band or who sings---the liner notes just lists names.)

A few times the gloom and doom are nearly stifling and drag a song down to the point where I have to skip it (depending on my own frame of ming), and I'm not sure if this morality play has a happy ending or leads to transcendence. But it doesn't matter as long as I keep the volume pegged.

I Never write reviews. NEVAR. But, I felt compelled to do so, mainly because the current reviews here do Not reflect my overall impression, nor the impression of those for which I have played these tracks. I first discovered this band with their release 'Death of A Decade'. I have said repeatedly, that it is a RARITY for me to fall in love with an entire cd. Therefore, in Ha Ha Tonka, I felt I found a rare gem. Almost ALL of the tracks grab me! So, far, from what I have heard, this cd is yet another exception. They did it again (or before, since this is an earlier release). Generally speaking, these days I am happy when one or two tracks grab me (rate a 5star in my ipod). Often, the remaining tracks rank much lower (0-3 stars). I appreciate the research other reviewers have put-into this cd, particularly the one that spoke of the history and novel that inspired this release. However, I heard 2 songs prior to coming here- that led me on a search and find this cd. Those tracks are 'Close Every Valve to Your Bleeding Heart' and 'So Quiet, They're Loud'. While these songs are notably softer than those on 'Death of A Decade' they nonetheless Grab you, shake you and command attention. AKA: they have the ability to draw the listener-in and move the listener like, very few others. As for comparisons being made to other bands, I can only say, I have heard those bands and am quite familiar with their bodies of work, Ha Ha Tonka BLOWS THEM OUT of THE WATER! In terms of song content -lyrics, theme and definitely with their skills to play the SHITE out of a song; be it an in your face, rocking-out track or, like those I first fell in love with on this cd, more subtle, yet equally (OR MORE) commanding and demanding of attention. I have found, the greatest gulf and difference between Ha Ha Tonka and other bands is that I PARTICIPATE in the songs without even realizing. With other bands, even those i enjoy very much, my mind, at times wanders...either to personal relations that the song reminds me about or just by wholly unrelated distractions. This is not the case with Ha Ha Tonka. In fact it is quite opposite. No matter what is on my mind, I become engulfed in the song. I forget my worries, i enjoy the ride. I have only previewed the other tracks on this cd, After doing so, I feel that they, much like the previous titles I have mentioned, give me an UPLIFTED feeling. I cannot deny the at times, heaviness of the lyrics, yet, accompanied by the instrumentation, including the intonations of the vocals and the resolution that these stories seek and sometimes find, i can say that the general overall, "feel" is one of soaring serenity. I am left with a positive feeling. I love this band.