When reviewing, I have learned to read the press release after I’ve heard the music, lest the blurb make me hate someone unduly without giving them a fair shot. Sometimes a line of praise from James Blunt could be enough to make me throw the CD away outright, or the description, “If Jack Penate and Kate Nash made musical babies.” So I try not to do that now, and then use the press releases to fill in the blanks and answer the questions I might have.
It’s a fun game in a way, conjuring up an image of who these people are, what they look like, who their influences are. Most of the time, you can make an accurate picture based on the sound. You know exactly which bands are going to be wearing super-skinny jeans, and which ones are going to be decking themselves out in elbow patches. Of course, there are times when the reality takes you by surprise.
‘And The Red Empire Orchestra’ is an album of melancholic blues, with Hinson’s voice as the centre-piece. He has a clean but throaty drawl, and the ability to make his vocals seem different throughout, an area where many of his peers fall down. The music is dark, and down, but not depressing. It’s a voice full of understated emotion; the sound of experience and a light worldly weariness.
‘Threw The Stone’ is reminiscent of Johnny Cash’s American Recordings, whilst ‘Sunrise Over the Olympus Mons’ is movingly gloomy, in the vein of Lou Barlow. In my mind are a series of classic singer songwriters, and I take from this that he’s a veteran musician making engaging tales out of his war wounds. ‘We Won’t Have To Be Lonesome’ is in the classic style of Bing Crosby and black and white films. Sat in the review pile is the new album from The Hold Steady, which I plan to get to soon. I already know that I’ll be drawing unflattering comparisons with Hinson, who shows how to take the classic style of male rock-crooning without even touching on boring.
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This is a varied album; it’s all fairly slow on the tempo, but it varies in and amongst this. ‘You Will Find Me’ is incredibly atmospheric at times, and then cuts in with a strong guitar melody. Elsewhere, ‘I Keep Having These Dreams’ is built upon a full string arrangement joining in with the acoustic guitar – it has a prim costume drama feel to it, before turning into a subtle duet that is both polite and rather romantic.
It’s also an album that doesn’t outstay its’ welcome. Although the songs are slow, they are not drawn out. There are no moments where you’re willing the sad strains to fade away to something more chipper, and that’s the sign of well conveyed, tangible emotion.
So it’s a surprise to learn a little about who Micah P Hinson is. Turns out he’s 27, and a pretty much recovered painkiller addict, who was imprisoned for forging prescriptions. It’s not the image conveyed in the music at all, but it’s nice to be surprised. It does nothing to change my perception of him a musician, it’s just a surprise. Micah P Hinson is the M Ward of the country-blues world; sounding old before his time, but meaning it every step of the way. It’s a well produced, interesting album, and matching the face to the music is a pleasant surprise.
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