Kris Delmhorst – Songs For A Hurricane
Brooklyn native and Cambridge, Massachusetts, habitue Kris Delmhorst heads south for influences on her third album. To shape this musical journey, Delmhorst follows the wake and wane of a hurricane, tracing the rising tempest, its ensuing calm, and the deluge of the aftermath as a format for these country, bluegrass, gospel and western swing influenced folk-pop songs.
Aiding in this somber but beauteous affair told in Delmhorsts breathy, earthy sweet voice are co-producer and drummer Billy Conway (Morphine), bassist Andrew Mazzone, former Ani DiFranco keyboardist Julie Wolf, and guitarists Mark Erelli, Jabe Beyer, Kevin Barry and Steve Mayone, each chosen to complement the mood of a particular song, from pensive Appalachian folk to dusky honky-tonk balladry to graceful spirituals to joyous Texan shuffles.
Delmhorsts hurricane is a grand euphemism for loves often stormy course. That point is made clear in the cooing chorus of the title track, a lilting song filled with passion and capped by Barrys stinging guitar work.