Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Heyward Howkins - Hale & Hearty (Self-Released, 2012)

Heyward Howkins
Hale & Hearty
Self-Released
2012

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

I'm sorta struggling to come up with a simplistic comparison for this Heyward Howkins record.  I like to keep my reviews simple (to match my brain power), but the best I could come up with here is "orchestral pop folk".  Despite not being from here he most closely reminds me of a couple of well known NC bands, Bowerbirds and Lost in the Trees.  The songs have sort of a mellow, baroque vibe; the vocals are almost overly enunciated, with a slight bit of vibrato; and the time signatures are all over the place...these aren't your typical 4/4 beats.  Some of the songs almost feel like a bunch of tiny songs smooshed together into something larger.

I'm completely on the fence with this record.  At a base level it sounds very good and I'm very intrigued by Howkins' voice, but I'm not sure how excited I am about the actual songs.  Not a lot of hooks and sing-a-long moments with this music, which is what I'm always drawn to the most.  Honestly, I may not be smart enough for this record. 

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