Happy Halloween! Halloween is my favourite holiday, although you wouldn’t know it this year, since I’ll just be spending a quiet night at home. But Sheila and I have filled the last week and a half watching scary movies, so that’s something.
One day I’ll return to writing horror novels (yes, this is a thing I do) but for now I must content myself with a couple blog entries to scratch that creative itch. Which is, incidentally, why you are here – so let’s get into it, shall we?
Disc 1778 is…Here in the Mountains
Artist: The Honey Dewdrops
Year of Release: 2024
What’s up with the Cover? Here we are in what I assume passes for mountains somewhere. I’m from a place with some seriously rugged mountains, and this picture is what folks in my part of the world call “hills”.
Not sure what's up with that giant white border, but it ain't makin' those hills look any higher.
How I Came To Know It: I am an avowed fan of the Honey Dewdrops and buy most (but not all) of their albums. In this case, I bought this album from Bandcamp, which is a great way to support smaller bands that have no big label or mass distribution. They may not tour through your neighbourhood, but Bandcamp is like an online merch table.
How It Stacks Up: I have five Honey Dewdrops albums. One of these had to be last, and alas, it is “Here in the Mountains”. So…fifth.
Ratings: 2 stars
Reading that rating you might be inclined to believe I’m not that fond of the Honey Dewdrops, but that is not the case. I’m a huge fan and even gave a previous record the coveted 5 stars (2015’s “Tangled Country” reviewed back at Disc 1405). So it isn’t that “Here in the Mountains” isn’t good, it just didn’t inspire me like some of their previous work.
The raw materials are there. Duo Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish still have all the talent in the world, playing multiple instruments and singing beautifully both individually and in harmony. The talent and musicianship is undeniable. They’re at their best when playing a bluegrass or folk tune, and when they do that, they’re hard to beat.
On “Here in the Mountains” they explore other musical styles, playing some songs in an Everly Brothers early jangle folk style and also more traditional country. It isn’t bad, but it had me yearning for that pure folk sound they’re so damned good at.
An example of the latter failing them is “Paperwork,” a jailbird tune in the spirit of Merle Haggard, complete with guitar mosey and spoken word bridge about how life is hard behind the cell doors. Laura and Kagey pour their heart and soul into the song, but I didn’t feel the gravitas of a prison song the way old Merle did it. It feels like they want that throwback sound so much that they can’t sit down comfortably in it and let it happen.
When they’re in their wheelhouse the magic returns. The title track is the best tune on the record, featuring a sublime bit of guitar picking and Wortman’s vocals clear and pure. If you’ve ever walked a while into the wilderness and felt the calm descend upon your soul, then this song will bring back a sliver of that magic. If you’ve never felt the joy of the remote solitude of a mountain hike, then this song will give you good artistic representation of how it feels. Listening, I felt the tension melting away and my mind cast back to many a hike I’d taken in my youth. This song is good for what ails you.
Also gorgeous is “Goodbye” which is again lifted by Laura Wortman’s lead vocals. Kagey is a gifted singer as well, but when the Honey Dewdrops turn the lead over to Laura there’s an extra spoonful of magic in the result.
Unfortunately, the other songs didn’t hit these same heights, and alone they were not enough to carry the record.
I would be remiss not to point out that “Silver Lining” is also a perfect piece of folk music, but it is also a repeat of a song from their 2012 album of the same name. As covering your own music goes, I think waiting 12 years exceeds the Statute of Limitations, so there’s no crime here, but as a long-time fan, hearing the song again didn’t add anything specific to it. The production here is more lush and full but it is essentially the same tune, with little to separate the two versions. If I had to pick, I’d take the rawness of the original.
I’ve had so many great moments with the Honey Dewdrops, that I wanted to love this record more than I did. Hell, I proudly display a sticker they very kindly sent me on my lunch bucket and sing their praises often, and with justification. But I keep it real here on the Odyssey. While I would not recommend you start your journey of exploration with this record, this band is still worth your time overall. As silver linings go, that’s not so bad.
Best tracks: Here in the Mountains, Silver Lining, Goodbye
1 comment:
Kagey Parish? Weird name...
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