RACHEL HARRINGTON - HUSH THE WILD HORSES
2019 - Skinny Dennis Records
I, along with many others, thought that Rachel Harrington's 2011 album 'Celilo Falls' would eventually be looked upon as the recording that would define the career of this talented lady. It has such immense quality in everything contained on the disc that it was impossible to see/hear how she could surpass it. How wrong can you be? This album, whilst not exactly leaving 'Celilo' in the shade is superior by a considerable distance, and yet I'm finding it difficult to put into words quite how. It just seems that the lyrical content, melodies and arrangements have raised the bar to a giddy height with all of Rachel's various musical qualities coming together to form a beautiful and deeply emotional recording. The reader will have realised by now that I'm finding it almost impossible to give a balanced view of this incredible eleven song recording that contains some of the best songs you will hear this year.
Rachel is the possessor of a beautiful voice, although it's not just the beauty that impresses the listener. So much character and expression has developed over the years whether listening to her live shows or her recordings, ensuring the listener can virtually feel the emotions that Rachel is feeling, at times almost creating a feeling of discomfort, although not in such a way that is likely to put anyone off. It is a feeling that will lead anyone hearing the album to realize that this is as good and as deep as 'country music' can get, and no doubt will be not just a 2019 favourite but a decade favourite for many. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying the wheel has been reinvented with this recording but Rachel has in the main taken experiences from her own and family members lives and documented the events, warts and all, rather than romanticizing them, whilst giving added appeal with some beautiful melodies and 'hooks'.
The album was recorded in various parts of the U.S such as Portland Oregon, Austin and Nashville and was produced by Casey Neill, with the recording and mixing courtesy of John Morgan Askew. Musically she was helped out by artists of the quality of Lloyd Maines on pedal steel and slide guitars, AMA Instrumentalist of the Year nominee Eamon McLoughlin played fiddle, Danny Barnes was on banjo, with Laura Veirs and Shelley Short on vocal harmonies. All artists of great quality, but at no time do they try to detract from Rachel's incredible songs and performances, adding splashes of colour and texture rather than dominating proceedings, on this album that is rooted in the deeply personal.
The banjo and percussion get things started on Child of God, a song that has strong elements of 'hillbilly' in its arrangement and an even stronger sense of drama, particularly as the fiddle joins in heightening the harrowing real life depiction of childhood abuse. As with virtually every song on this album it is not only the power of the lyrics and Rachel's character laden voice that raises the song but the fact that the arrangements and instrument selection along with the melody rubber stamps the incredible quality on display. Throughout this album there seems to be nothing that Rachel won't tackle and to describe the lyrics as completely 'open hearted' is a massive understatement. The Barn is another beautifully written song with just gentle guitar as backing for Rachel's vocal on the theme of her mother's loss of a high school sweetheart who failed to return from the war. Rachel's vocal performance is full of the pain and sheer frustration her mother must have felt about the pointlessness of it all. Mekong Delta is a stunning song, and one that all too many will relate to. It is a moving tribute to her uncle whose suicide followed his 'tour of duty' in Vietnam. The lovely melodic guitars support Rachel's aching vocal throughout.
Rachel has quite literally put everything she has into this album, including her life savings. On quality alone, surely the all round effort has to repay her with a huge dividend, and raise her profile to, or above, the level of the 'country pop' singers, most of whom can't even dream of attaining the level of talent possessed by Rachel. One day the record buying public who pour their hard earned millions of dollars into the Nashville music machine coffers will surely realise they are being musically and lyrically short changed. This tremendous album could easily get that ball rolling.
http://www.rachelharrington.net/
I, along with many others, thought that Rachel Harrington's 2011 album 'Celilo Falls' would eventually be looked upon as the recording that would define the career of this talented lady. It has such immense quality in everything contained on the disc that it was impossible to see/hear how she could surpass it. How wrong can you be? This album, whilst not exactly leaving 'Celilo' in the shade is superior by a considerable distance, and yet I'm finding it difficult to put into words quite how. It just seems that the lyrical content, melodies and arrangements have raised the bar to a giddy height with all of Rachel's various musical qualities coming together to form a beautiful and deeply emotional recording. The reader will have realised by now that I'm finding it almost impossible to give a balanced view of this incredible eleven song recording that contains some of the best songs you will hear this year.
Rachel is the possessor of a beautiful voice, although it's not just the beauty that impresses the listener. So much character and expression has developed over the years whether listening to her live shows or her recordings, ensuring the listener can virtually feel the emotions that Rachel is feeling, at times almost creating a feeling of discomfort, although not in such a way that is likely to put anyone off. It is a feeling that will lead anyone hearing the album to realize that this is as good and as deep as 'country music' can get, and no doubt will be not just a 2019 favourite but a decade favourite for many. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying the wheel has been reinvented with this recording but Rachel has in the main taken experiences from her own and family members lives and documented the events, warts and all, rather than romanticizing them, whilst giving added appeal with some beautiful melodies and 'hooks'.
The album was recorded in various parts of the U.S such as Portland Oregon, Austin and Nashville and was produced by Casey Neill, with the recording and mixing courtesy of John Morgan Askew. Musically she was helped out by artists of the quality of Lloyd Maines on pedal steel and slide guitars, AMA Instrumentalist of the Year nominee Eamon McLoughlin played fiddle, Danny Barnes was on banjo, with Laura Veirs and Shelley Short on vocal harmonies. All artists of great quality, but at no time do they try to detract from Rachel's incredible songs and performances, adding splashes of colour and texture rather than dominating proceedings, on this album that is rooted in the deeply personal.
The banjo and percussion get things started on Child of God, a song that has strong elements of 'hillbilly' in its arrangement and an even stronger sense of drama, particularly as the fiddle joins in heightening the harrowing real life depiction of childhood abuse. As with virtually every song on this album it is not only the power of the lyrics and Rachel's character laden voice that raises the song but the fact that the arrangements and instrument selection along with the melody rubber stamps the incredible quality on display. Throughout this album there seems to be nothing that Rachel won't tackle and to describe the lyrics as completely 'open hearted' is a massive understatement. The Barn is another beautifully written song with just gentle guitar as backing for Rachel's vocal on the theme of her mother's loss of a high school sweetheart who failed to return from the war. Rachel's vocal performance is full of the pain and sheer frustration her mother must have felt about the pointlessness of it all. Mekong Delta is a stunning song, and one that all too many will relate to. It is a moving tribute to her uncle whose suicide followed his 'tour of duty' in Vietnam. The lovely melodic guitars support Rachel's aching vocal throughout.
Rachel has quite literally put everything she has into this album, including her life savings. On quality alone, surely the all round effort has to repay her with a huge dividend, and raise her profile to, or above, the level of the 'country pop' singers, most of whom can't even dream of attaining the level of talent possessed by Rachel. One day the record buying public who pour their hard earned millions of dollars into the Nashville music machine coffers will surely realise they are being musically and lyrically short changed. This tremendous album could easily get that ball rolling.
http://www.rachelharrington.net/