WAITING FOR HENRY - TOWN CALLED PATIENCE
2016 - Mighty Hudson Music
This is the second album by 'Waiting for Henry' and one that completely emasculates the old phrase 'that difficult second album.' Their debut 'Ghosts & Compromise' was excellent and was reviewed on this site back in 2013 but whilst I at first thought this new recording had the edge over its predecessor I now think this is a much better album, with every song absolutely essential listening for anyone who has any feeling for, what to me, is classic alt. country. The songs and arrangements have a little of the 'indie' feel but both lead vocalists, Dave Slomin and Dave Ashdown have the raw melodicism of a classic alt country singer songwriter such as Jay Farrar and consequently such huge appeal that in my world it is impossible to hear anything but alt country whatever they sing!
Having mentioned the two Daves I should just say that this talented four piece band consists of Dave Slomin on guitar and vocals, Mike Chun plays bass, Rob Draghi is on drums and percussion with Dave Ashdown on vocals and guitar. Dave Slomin wrote eight of the twelve songs, whilst Dave Ashdown wrote Palms, Angel on the run, Hangnail, and Could it be. It is quite mind boggling that a band can contain two such excellent songwriters, both of whom who are also tremendous vocalists. It is something you would imagine would lead to clashes but the band have been friends for a long time and the blend works perfectly, in fact on this recording the four writing credits for Dave Ashdown is a 100% increase on the two he had on their debut. We can also claim Dave as one of our own, having been born and spent his formative years in southern England not a million miles from where I live, a real hotbed of American roots music talent! Chun and Draghi build the incredibly solid foundations on which the two Dave's are able to explore their guitar and vocal techniques without fear of getting lost or drowned in heavy sounds, in many ways bringing a unique individuality to their music whilst never straying too far from the broad confines of alt. country. There is a powerful dynamism in the makeup and performance of every song, interspersed with subtle touches that let the listener know this is no ordinary rock band but a collection of highly skilled musicians more than capable of adopting a variety of moods and styles from 'classic country rock' to 'indie' and on to alt. country.
The album gets underway with a guitar intro that for me at least has an Uncle Tupelo feel and when Dave Slomin's evocative vocal comes in on Musconetcong that feeling is just about complete, but gradually a much less obvious R.E.M influence comes out. Whilst they were the first observations, this band have their own unique style that takes it's influences from many areas, ultimately giving them a 'classic alt. country' sound on this tremendous opening song. I can't define the 'country' part of my description, perhaps it is Slomin's vocal or the harmonies that are an update of the early country rock days, or maybe it's just that it won't fit comfortably in any other 'pigeon hole,' but that feeling is there none the less. Hangnail is a much slower, sparser but no less dynamic ballad and the first song on this album that features Dave Ashdown on lead vocal. His vocals are excellent, perhaps a little more raw than Dave Slomin's but no less melodic, supported by some tremendous band harmonies and chiming guitars on a song that may well make some people think of the Eagles but with a very much harder edge. There is a gentle melodic guitar intro with a little light percussion and bass supporting an evocative lead vocal and the usual excellent harmonies on Matter of time, a song that rises and falls perfectly ensuring the listeners attention will never falter. Again it is a composition that without being particularly fast or heavy has a powerful dynamism, as does just about every song on this tremendous album. There is another gentle intro with Dave Ashdown's raw but intensely melodic vocal on Palms a mid tempo song that includes the always melodic chiming twangy guitars that are beautifully played and fit perfectly into another excellent song. Finally, the title track A town called Patience is led by gently chiming guitars on an outwardly mellow country rocker with the usual excellent harmonies on a song that I would think Don Henley would have killed to record first! The lovely solid metronomic percussion and bass allow the guitars to roam at will around the memorable melody. And so the album continues. Every song is a winner and whether your preference is for moody ballads or up tempo country rockers they are all here along with their memorable melodies.
For me modern music really doesn't in fact can't, get much better than this tremendous recording. It has everything, from great songs, vocals that couldn't really be 'better for purpose,' incredibly tight, expressive playing by all four band members, harmonies that when required are up there with the best and an atmosphere and all round performance that takes me back to the heyday of Uncle Tupelo, R.E.M, Whiskeytown and just a few other greats. To that has to be added two exceptional songwriter vocalists who seem able to create tremendous melodies at will but without ever losing the bands distinct edginess, indefinable maybe, but something that puts them at the top of the tree as far as I'm concerned. I don't want to go on too much about the comparisons because Waiting for Henry are very much their own unique stylists, who like all of us, have been shaped by their myriad influences but ultimately have gone their own way and created something unique. Some of these songs and performances are so good that the listener should not be surprised on the occasions when that most sublime of musical moments happens and the hairs on the back of the neck start to rise and you lose yourself in the atmosphere this tremendous band creates. A great band and a great album that will surely be picked up by the world at large!
http://waitingforhenry.com
This is the second album by 'Waiting for Henry' and one that completely emasculates the old phrase 'that difficult second album.' Their debut 'Ghosts & Compromise' was excellent and was reviewed on this site back in 2013 but whilst I at first thought this new recording had the edge over its predecessor I now think this is a much better album, with every song absolutely essential listening for anyone who has any feeling for, what to me, is classic alt. country. The songs and arrangements have a little of the 'indie' feel but both lead vocalists, Dave Slomin and Dave Ashdown have the raw melodicism of a classic alt country singer songwriter such as Jay Farrar and consequently such huge appeal that in my world it is impossible to hear anything but alt country whatever they sing!
Having mentioned the two Daves I should just say that this talented four piece band consists of Dave Slomin on guitar and vocals, Mike Chun plays bass, Rob Draghi is on drums and percussion with Dave Ashdown on vocals and guitar. Dave Slomin wrote eight of the twelve songs, whilst Dave Ashdown wrote Palms, Angel on the run, Hangnail, and Could it be. It is quite mind boggling that a band can contain two such excellent songwriters, both of whom who are also tremendous vocalists. It is something you would imagine would lead to clashes but the band have been friends for a long time and the blend works perfectly, in fact on this recording the four writing credits for Dave Ashdown is a 100% increase on the two he had on their debut. We can also claim Dave as one of our own, having been born and spent his formative years in southern England not a million miles from where I live, a real hotbed of American roots music talent! Chun and Draghi build the incredibly solid foundations on which the two Dave's are able to explore their guitar and vocal techniques without fear of getting lost or drowned in heavy sounds, in many ways bringing a unique individuality to their music whilst never straying too far from the broad confines of alt. country. There is a powerful dynamism in the makeup and performance of every song, interspersed with subtle touches that let the listener know this is no ordinary rock band but a collection of highly skilled musicians more than capable of adopting a variety of moods and styles from 'classic country rock' to 'indie' and on to alt. country.
The album gets underway with a guitar intro that for me at least has an Uncle Tupelo feel and when Dave Slomin's evocative vocal comes in on Musconetcong that feeling is just about complete, but gradually a much less obvious R.E.M influence comes out. Whilst they were the first observations, this band have their own unique style that takes it's influences from many areas, ultimately giving them a 'classic alt. country' sound on this tremendous opening song. I can't define the 'country' part of my description, perhaps it is Slomin's vocal or the harmonies that are an update of the early country rock days, or maybe it's just that it won't fit comfortably in any other 'pigeon hole,' but that feeling is there none the less. Hangnail is a much slower, sparser but no less dynamic ballad and the first song on this album that features Dave Ashdown on lead vocal. His vocals are excellent, perhaps a little more raw than Dave Slomin's but no less melodic, supported by some tremendous band harmonies and chiming guitars on a song that may well make some people think of the Eagles but with a very much harder edge. There is a gentle melodic guitar intro with a little light percussion and bass supporting an evocative lead vocal and the usual excellent harmonies on Matter of time, a song that rises and falls perfectly ensuring the listeners attention will never falter. Again it is a composition that without being particularly fast or heavy has a powerful dynamism, as does just about every song on this tremendous album. There is another gentle intro with Dave Ashdown's raw but intensely melodic vocal on Palms a mid tempo song that includes the always melodic chiming twangy guitars that are beautifully played and fit perfectly into another excellent song. Finally, the title track A town called Patience is led by gently chiming guitars on an outwardly mellow country rocker with the usual excellent harmonies on a song that I would think Don Henley would have killed to record first! The lovely solid metronomic percussion and bass allow the guitars to roam at will around the memorable melody. And so the album continues. Every song is a winner and whether your preference is for moody ballads or up tempo country rockers they are all here along with their memorable melodies.
For me modern music really doesn't in fact can't, get much better than this tremendous recording. It has everything, from great songs, vocals that couldn't really be 'better for purpose,' incredibly tight, expressive playing by all four band members, harmonies that when required are up there with the best and an atmosphere and all round performance that takes me back to the heyday of Uncle Tupelo, R.E.M, Whiskeytown and just a few other greats. To that has to be added two exceptional songwriter vocalists who seem able to create tremendous melodies at will but without ever losing the bands distinct edginess, indefinable maybe, but something that puts them at the top of the tree as far as I'm concerned. I don't want to go on too much about the comparisons because Waiting for Henry are very much their own unique stylists, who like all of us, have been shaped by their myriad influences but ultimately have gone their own way and created something unique. Some of these songs and performances are so good that the listener should not be surprised on the occasions when that most sublime of musical moments happens and the hairs on the back of the neck start to rise and you lose yourself in the atmosphere this tremendous band creates. A great band and a great album that will surely be picked up by the world at large!
http://waitingforhenry.com