Australian-born Juanita Stein is the singer of Country-Noir band The Howling Bells who technically still exist although they haven’t released any new material since 2014.
‘The Weightless Hour’ is Stein’s assured fourth solo album.
Her third -‘Snapshot (2020) - followed the loss of her father, Four years on, her absorbing new songs draw upon happier life events but is still highly reflective in tone. Stein has two daughters and the record marks a decade when she first became a mother.
The ten original tunes, produced by Ben Hillier, come with zero frills. In its modest playing time of just under 30 minutes, no track exceeds four minutes. Beyond the guitar, there is no percussion and hardly any instrumental additions to accompany the warmth of her voice. Stein speaks of drawing strength from this restraint.
It is notable that Carry Me, a simple song written in a single sitting during the weightless period of lockdown, fits in perfectly with the overall mood of the album.
Many of the songs are rooted in thoughts of legacy and of putting the past into perspective; “I think making records is a really powerful way of letting go of experiences” Stein says.
The Game looks back at wilder days as a singer in a rock and roll band: “Baby, you were just a little girl / Now you’re a woman, have you learned, it’s just the game”.
Old World taps into her Jewish ancestry including reflections on her grandmother’s escape from Prague at the age of fourteen following the Nazi occupation of the city.
Driving Nowhere ,where she duets with Pat Dam Smyth, is based on memories of a relationship that was going nowhere fast.
The single is called Motionless and paradoxically the accompanying video features her taking a solitary road trip. These visuals reflect the inevitable forward trajectory of life while never losing sight of past journeys.
