I’m
currently reading a collection of Joe Hill short stories. Joe Hill is a very
good writer; better, I think than his much more famous father, Stephen King.
This next
artist, like Joe Hill is the child of a famous artist who, once again, is better at her craft than her dear old dad. Sorry, not sorry, John.
Disc 1383 is…. Royal
Blue
Artist:
Lilly Hiatt
Year of Release: 2015
What’s up with the
Cover?
When scientists first discovered Lilly Hiatt’s DNA perfectly preserved in
sapphire, they had dreams of replicating it and creating a country music theme
park on a remote island. But then everyone realized dinosaurs would be better.
How I Came To Know
It: I
discovered Hiatt earlier this year when she released her latest album, “Walking
Proof”. From there I dug backwards through her catalogue. One of those albums
was “Royal Blue”.
How It Stacks Up: I have three Lilly
Hiatt albums. Of the three, “Royal Blue” comes in at #2.
Ratings: 4 stars
Lilly Hiatt isn’t a little bit country, and she isn’t a little bit rock
and roll either. She’s a lot of both. “Royal Blue” her second album, finds her
fully owning this crossover sound, which is brash, bold, and loaded with lyrics
that tell stories of heartache and hard living.
Regular readers will know of my general distaste of overly rich
production, but on “Royal Blue” the frequent use of reverb and rock crunch
gives the songs the edge they need. Maybe it’s the flourishes of pedal steel that
soften the experience enough to make it work, or maybe it’s the visceral,
analog production. Whatever it is, I had none of my usual complaints.
While the songs have the bones of contemporary country music, they are
dressed up in rock and roll clothes which fit nice and snug. I was reminded
favourably of Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road” era in Hiatt’s ability to blend the
two traditions so naturally. On songs like “Worth It” and “Heart
Attack” she even throws in a smoky sultry blue-eyed soul.
Her vocals handle these different musical traditions with equal skill. I
wanted to say “skill and grace” there, but ‘grace’ isn’t a word for Lilly Hiatt’s
vocals. Hurt, more like. The songs feel like they’re drawn out of her,
sometimes in low dirges, other times in a weary rasp, but always tinged with a sweetness
that adds vulnerability to the stories. Life doesn’t let you through it without
a few bruises, and Hiatt’s vocals put those bruises to good use in her delivery.
“Get This Right” is a good example of what makes the record so
good. It matches a rocked-out country picking pattern in the melody, with a second
guitar throwing out flourishes of big power chord strums. Over it all, Hiatt voices
a combination of regret and acceptance as the chorus asks the central question encapsulated
those two states, “Are we ever gonna get this right?” Hiatt already knows
the answer, but her world-weary delivery makes it clear she hopes she’s wrong.
Another standout is the quiet, understated breakup song, “Your Choice.”
This song is a stripped-down acoustic number, given Hiatt’s vocals center stage
for the best lyrics on the album. The misery and self-loathing of the narrator
expressed in the verses:
“Sitting here in Athens, Georgia
Doing everything to ignore ya
‘Cause you don’t think I’m sexy when I cry”
Is nicely juxtaposed by the #GFY sentiments of the chorus:
“When you turn your sheets down
Please think of me now
When you turn your lamp off
Please hear my sweet, soft voice
You made your choice.”
She’s sad here but holding out hope that her ex is sadder still. Taken
together the song is one of the better musical examples of “I hope he calls so
I can hang up on him” that I’ve heard.
This tenacity in the face of loss is a common thread through the whole
record, but it never feels self-indulgent. Hiatt’s got lots of sad stories, but
none of them break the characters that tell them. It’s a record filled with
tenacity. The multiple stylistic influences blend together well, while also
giving the record plenty of range and dynamics. I liked it more and more on
each listen.
Best tracks: Far
Away, Off Track, Get This Right, Your Choice, I Don’t Do Those Things Anymore
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