I have to stop mentioning where some of these fine Americana-Roots artists hail from. Every few months I am pleasantly surprised by how good some of these musicians are interpreting a wholly American style of music and they are not necassirly rooted in the South – or in a geographical area that is synonymous with Americana-roots-type music.
But, hey when you start to listen to this kind of music and it comes proficiently perfected from people from Sweden, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and from parts of the United States not known for its Americana music – like New York, Los Angeles, and Boston — a certain pride should grip you. The music is that respected and that embraced that it reaches shores thousands of miles from Nashville, Austin, Appalachia, the Delta. That’s impressive. What’s even more impressive is that these musicians are all good. Politics aside, America has something it can be proud of: its music.
This time out, my speakers are spilling some notes from a husband and wife team born and raised in Detroit. Alright, they reside in Tampa, Florida now – but even Tampa is not a hot bed for this kind of traditional American music.
Nevertheless, I popped the CD in and while both S.G (Stephen Grant) and Rachel Wood – The Hummingbirds – look the part, it wasn’t until the CD started to spin and my speakers started to reverberate with the title track “13 Days” that I got it. Rockabilly guitar strums, S.G’s distinctive Buddy Miller-type vocals, and wonderfully clever lyrics lassoed my ears and tugged.
Rachel is an excellent counterpart when she answers S.G.’s vocal with: “You kept your dishes in the oven and never put the toilet seat down.” Ouch. That kind of lyric sets apart the commercial drek and it’s from a duo that has its finger on the pulse of great country-inspired story songs. Jason Mowery’s lap steel whines like a mother-in-law from hell throughout the song. The song is simple, it’s short and it’s like a shot of whiskey – potent and brief.
The second tune, “Waste My Time,” displays smart, crystal-clear guitars, steady drums, and the harmonies are delicious. I am not up on my guitars, but these are tuned in a special way – or the guitars themselves are what? Resonator? Something picked up in a pawnshop that was once played in 1938? The tone is perfectly suited for this song. Kudos to the guitar player or whoever thought this sound was ideal for this song. It is. It’s like veteran guitarists Duane Eddy, Lonnie Mack, or Link Wray joined an Americana band. There’s a little spice in this recipe like The Blasters or The Del Lords. Real nice cross-pollination of folk-rock and rockabilly. The vocals are still in that Buddy-and-Julie Miller vein — but, so what? Those two singers are excellent. The Hummingbirds have it down to a classy, evocative presentation that is all their own. They have added something to the mixture that I haven’t figured out yet. It has a quiet exuberance to it.
“Borrow Me” is slower. The mandolin strums and a slightly grittier intimate vocal ping-pongs between S.G. and Rachel. It’s punctuated by a moody piece of music and I like the bent saw ending on this – it was a pleasant surprise.
The next track cooks with a heavy rock guitar snap – “Horses and Rattlesnakes,” with its hot drive and ambience. Paul Eckerberg’s drums with Mitch Dane’s added tambourine is infused with a Fabulous Thunderbirds’ energy filtered through a Georgia Satellites moonshine still. As usual, S.G. and Rachel’s vocals coupled together resonates. It’s an attractive chemistry. So far, I haven’t heard any Detroit influence – but I will continue to listen.
“Red Truck” continues with S.G. and Rachel’s tradition for starting their songs off with an instant musical hook. A listener just knows the song is going to take them somewhere. This tune features a dominant fiddle by Jason Mowrey. The Humingbirds are masters of sewing their instrumental counterparts sound together in an attractive magnetic way. Each instrument plays a pivotal role and each instrument dances light on its feet with the melody’s potential. The conclusion to this tune is quite memorable.
“Forever’s Not a Lifetime,” is a short, pensive ballad. Rachel sounds like she graduated from the Emmylou Harris school of perfect Americana vocals. “Nebraska Snow,” picks up the tempo and Rachel’s vocals are more blues-inflected and deeper. The has a snaking dobro in between the vocals and the drums set in a steady shuffle drive I like Rachel’s vocals on this – it rich with showmanship.
S.G. returns to vocals on “Richer with Nothing,” and when Rachel joins him on the lyric it’s like Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood or Johnny Cash and June Carter on “Jackson.” This is a first class country saloon song duet and still no Detroit influence in sight. The fiddle anchors the song in nostalgia but the back porch sentimentality is genuine. The album should have had a lyric booklet – these songs sound like they were meant to be sung along by the listener.
Nice dual singing opens “Leave This Town.” This starts off immediately as a winning, well-toned muscle of a song. The musicians add decorations to the musical tree with lights and tinsel and slowly the song’s branches take on a life of its own. The melody, lap steel, S.G.’s and Rachel’s vocals are a musical menagerie that glitters here.
An old fashioned opening on “Fast Love,” is rooted in a more early 1960’s type country song musically. But, Rachel’s vocal is very Lucinda Williams crossed with Dolly Parton in tradition. It’s a striking vocal. This is what provides Rachel with a creative, original shading. She has suggestions of sounds of others before her — but, she showcases herself in a wholly imaginative manner that is her own. This is a heart-wrenching old-school song but somehow it still works effectively today. Why? Because listeners will always have a heart.
“Listen to the River” — startling good guitar notes begin this dark resplendent tune. S.G and Rachel have taken a sharp turn back up the mountains. Hints of that feet shuffling chain-gang sound that was reenacted brilliantly by the Fairfield Four in the excellent documentary “Down From the Mountain.” That effect, with the aggressive dobro and deep thudding Paul Eckberg drums lends a lot of musical credibility to S.G. and Rachel here. This is sung with so much traditional power that it’s like a transfusion of musicality into a lackadaisical soul. This song is high-test Appalachian mountain spirited. Excellent music. Absolutely beautiful vocals. Humid and hot with ice cold lemonade up against your sweaty cheek musicianship. Yeah…back porch, black cat moan type mood done quite successfully. One of my favorites.
Not to leave “Listen to the River,” with all the accolades, “All Those Things I Didn’t Say,” follows with an equally compelling but more commercial effort. The hooks are solid, the melody memorable throughout. S.G. and Rachel’s vocals are perfectly suited here and the strong fiddle strains and up-beat drums and guitars tempt one to get up and dance even if they haven’t in thirty years.
The closing song “Lamplight,” is an appropriate conclusion to a fine set of a perfectly separated collection of songs. No filler. No sound-a-likes. Paced well. Every track could stand alone on its own.
The performances are consistent. S.G. and Rachel adhere firmly to a respected tradition with lots of folksy soul but they do indeed, push the envelope just a little. Ah, but there it is: Detroit. Soul. S.G. and Rachel have infused their tunes with a profusion of generous ounces of Americana-Roots-Country and Folk charm and then they sprinkle soul into the ingredients. Soul. It’s there, under the surface. You have to listen closely, but it’s there.
I heard this sound more prevalent on second and third listens. This is what sets these captivating songs apart and reignites a genre that two Yankees have brought to the South. This deeply southern music is filtered through Appalachian mountain music (that originated hundreds of years ago in England, Ireland and Scotland) – and is now distilled again with Northern Soul. A righteous blend. Some may not think so, but I do.
It takes nothing away from the tradition. It subtracts nothing from the music’s original intent. Instead it has been stimulated and has renewed my own personal interest in all of this kind of music.
The band includes: Stephen Grant Wood on lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars. Rachel Lynn Wood on lead vocals and acoustic guitar. Jason Mowery on mandolin, fiddle, lap steel and dobro. Kevin Whitsett on acoustic and electric bass. Paul Eckberg on drums and percussion and Mitch Drake on organ, saw and tambourine.
This collection was produced in Nashville by Mitch Dane and released on Laughing Coyote Records.
The CD package was designed by Eric Patrick Kelly — a nice 4 panel die-cut flat color on board with credits and a B&W photo of the duo on the inside spread. No lyric booklet ….maybe next time.
Photography: Courtesy of The Hummingbirds’ Website – No Single Photographer Cited
Website: http://www.thehummingbirds.com/
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review / commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of No Depression. All photography is owned by the respective photographers and is their copyrighted image; credited where photographer’s name was known & being used here solely as reference and will be removed on request.
John Apice / No Depression / July 2015