HATFUL OF RAIN – WAY UP ON THE HILL
2012 – Union Music Store
4****
I first saw this tremendous band a few years ago when they were just a duo and along with the rest of the crowd, marveled at the talent on show, particulary lead singer and songwriter Chloe Overton. I’m
delighted to say that promising talent has reached fulfillment with this, their debut album. They are now a perfectly balanced, tremendous live, four piece and have been for about a year, having for a while been a trio. There is certainly a lot to be said for their gradual development into this band that can now cover everything from instrumental hoe downs to mountain ballads, mid tempo edgy country and even 1950s style rock ‘n’roll!
The band is made up of Chloe on vocals, mandolin and guitar, Phil Jones on double bass, vocals and banjo, Fred Gregory plays guitar and mandolin as well as vocals and James Shenton on fiddle and piano. All
are highly accomplished musicians and songwriters, with Chloe writing the bulk of the songs but with each of the three men contributing a song each, plus the addition of a beautiful version of the traditional Angelina
Baker, the closing song on this outstanding album.
Chloe’s beautiful, highly emotive vocals underpin the album as do her songs, but this is no singer plus backing band, they are a tremendous blend of four disparate elements that seem to feed off each other, on disc as well as live and have constructed a powerful album that should do incredibly well when it is released on the 30th May. Their sound has the classic high lonesomeness of bluegrass and old timey but with more variety and when you add their instrumental prowess and Chloe’s pure vocals they are lifted a notch above most generically similar bands, with several sub genres also opening up to them. Much of the guitar sound is compliments of the gorgeous tones of Fred’s resonator guitar which gives that slightly different element plus of course some quite extraordinary fiddle playing by James. Phils upright bass underpins each song, giving a really firm foundation for the rest of the band to build on. Add his excellent banjo playing and you have a band that would be hard to beat, even in the U.S.
From the scene setting first notes of the banjo on the title track opener, Way up on the hill, and Chloe’s beautifully evocative vocals that soon follow along with James keening fiddle on this throwback to the mournful old timey ballads, you know they are setting a musical standard that is going to be difficult to follow. But follow it they do, with more excellent songs that vary in tempo and theme but never in quality. The very next track is Strawberry leaves, a mid tempo duet between Chloe and Phil that injects an upbeat note of humour that is a throwback to a Saturday night hoedown! Winter Rose is a sad lost love ballad with the highlonesome mandolin sound and James fiddle playing around the edge of the gorgeous melody, adding to the melancholic feel. Just as you are settling in to Chloe’s lovely tones we break to Fred’s excellent tale of familial ups and downs and sheer bad luck, Welcome to the family on which his edgy vocals take the lead by way of contrast to Chloe, and talking of contrasts, next up is Chloe’s excellent instrumental Trafalgar Road. Phil shines brightly on his very own, Rockin’Chair Daddy a throwback to the early days of rock ‘n’ roll with it’s speedy driving beat and tremendous harmonies, again with a nice light hearted feel amongst the sad tales. James formidable fiddle playing on his own Jerusalem Tart reaches a tremendous peak on a platform set in place by Phil’s excellent bass playing.
It would be easy to carry on extolling the virtues of this excellent album, the quality is there for all to hear, but ultimately this is just a taste of the variety, passion and quality that you can expect to be treated to when you buy it!
http://www.hatfulofrain.co.uk
4****
I first saw this tremendous band a few years ago when they were just a duo and along with the rest of the crowd, marveled at the talent on show, particulary lead singer and songwriter Chloe Overton. I’m
delighted to say that promising talent has reached fulfillment with this, their debut album. They are now a perfectly balanced, tremendous live, four piece and have been for about a year, having for a while been a trio. There is certainly a lot to be said for their gradual development into this band that can now cover everything from instrumental hoe downs to mountain ballads, mid tempo edgy country and even 1950s style rock ‘n’roll!
The band is made up of Chloe on vocals, mandolin and guitar, Phil Jones on double bass, vocals and banjo, Fred Gregory plays guitar and mandolin as well as vocals and James Shenton on fiddle and piano. All
are highly accomplished musicians and songwriters, with Chloe writing the bulk of the songs but with each of the three men contributing a song each, plus the addition of a beautiful version of the traditional Angelina
Baker, the closing song on this outstanding album.
Chloe’s beautiful, highly emotive vocals underpin the album as do her songs, but this is no singer plus backing band, they are a tremendous blend of four disparate elements that seem to feed off each other, on disc as well as live and have constructed a powerful album that should do incredibly well when it is released on the 30th May. Their sound has the classic high lonesomeness of bluegrass and old timey but with more variety and when you add their instrumental prowess and Chloe’s pure vocals they are lifted a notch above most generically similar bands, with several sub genres also opening up to them. Much of the guitar sound is compliments of the gorgeous tones of Fred’s resonator guitar which gives that slightly different element plus of course some quite extraordinary fiddle playing by James. Phils upright bass underpins each song, giving a really firm foundation for the rest of the band to build on. Add his excellent banjo playing and you have a band that would be hard to beat, even in the U.S.
From the scene setting first notes of the banjo on the title track opener, Way up on the hill, and Chloe’s beautifully evocative vocals that soon follow along with James keening fiddle on this throwback to the mournful old timey ballads, you know they are setting a musical standard that is going to be difficult to follow. But follow it they do, with more excellent songs that vary in tempo and theme but never in quality. The very next track is Strawberry leaves, a mid tempo duet between Chloe and Phil that injects an upbeat note of humour that is a throwback to a Saturday night hoedown! Winter Rose is a sad lost love ballad with the highlonesome mandolin sound and James fiddle playing around the edge of the gorgeous melody, adding to the melancholic feel. Just as you are settling in to Chloe’s lovely tones we break to Fred’s excellent tale of familial ups and downs and sheer bad luck, Welcome to the family on which his edgy vocals take the lead by way of contrast to Chloe, and talking of contrasts, next up is Chloe’s excellent instrumental Trafalgar Road. Phil shines brightly on his very own, Rockin’Chair Daddy a throwback to the early days of rock ‘n’ roll with it’s speedy driving beat and tremendous harmonies, again with a nice light hearted feel amongst the sad tales. James formidable fiddle playing on his own Jerusalem Tart reaches a tremendous peak on a platform set in place by Phil’s excellent bass playing.
It would be easy to carry on extolling the virtues of this excellent album, the quality is there for all to hear, but ultimately this is just a taste of the variety, passion and quality that you can expect to be treated to when you buy it!
http://www.hatfulofrain.co.uk