Reviews
Artist:The Hanging Stars Album: On A Golden Shore
Label: Loose
Tracks: 11
Website: https://www.thehangingstars.com/
It was the late Gram Parsons who was credited with coining the term "Cosmic American Music" . This genre emerged in the late 1960'S and early 1970's to describe a blend of country, folk, rock and psychedelic styles , the key ingredients being heartbreak songs, tight harmony vocals, fuzzy guitars and pedal steel guitar with lots of reverb. Among the leading proponents of this music, apart from Gram himself, were The Byrds, Gene Clark, Neil Young and The Grateful Dead.
I am glad to say that Cosmic American Music is alive and well in 2024 in the very capable hands of The Hanging Stars , a five-piece band from London who have just released their fifth album "On A Golden Shore".
The band comprises singer/guitarist Richard Olson, drummer Paulie Cobra , Patrick Ralla on guitar and keyboards, pedal steel maestro Joe Harvey-White and newest member Paul Milne on bass.
In traditional get-it-together-in-the-country manner, the band decamped from London to the north-east coast of Scotland to record the album at Edwyn Collins' Clashnarrow Studios at Helmsdale where the eleven songs which make up the album were recorded over eight days.
And what an album it is too. The superb Stones-like "Let Me Dream Of You" opens the album in fine style and, as frontman Richard Olson says, it sets the tone of the record in terms of heartbreaking bravado.
The second track "Sweet Light" is an absolute gem , with dreamy harmonies and excellent interplay between guitars and pedal steel.
One of the band's great strengths are its harmony vocals and these shine through on the sumptuous "Happiness Is A Bird" which builds to an epic climax .
"Disbelieving" is [ almost] a pure country break-up song [ " I have a hard time believing that we're done"] where the sadness of the words is echoed by the empathetic pedal steel of Joe Harvey-White.
A similar mood is evoked by the next song "Washing Line" , with equally sorrowful lyrics [ "Hang me out to dry on your washing line"] . The song floats on a pillow of chiming guitars , piano and pedal steel. Lovely stuff.
The next two songs take a slight change of direction. "Golden Shore" is a gorgeous slice of exotic, dreamy psychedelia which features Will Summers of Circulus on pan-pipes. The opening line "Make me a palace on your floor" is a play on the words of the traditional blues song "Make me a pallet on your floor".
Even more of a departure is "Silver Rings" which has a Latin feel to it courtesy of a dancing, Cuban-style piano riff and funky percussion.
"I Need A Good Day" is a bright, jangly piece of power-pop with a great chorus and harmonies but under the shiny exterior there is still an undercurrent of melancholy [ "I need a good day to come soon"].
"No Way Spell" is a rolling country number with heaps of banjo, mandolin, guitar and pedal to give it authentic feel.
I am a big fan of the late, great Bert Jansch and his influence is all over the acoustic guitar riff for "Raindrop In A Hurricane" . The lyrics convey a feeling of self-deprecation and inadequacy [ " Is it true what they say , she was going to leave me in a hurry anyway?"].
The final track "Heart In A Box" has a mournful feel to it courtesy of brass-band-like horns which producer Sean Read added and which accentuate the heartbroken call and response chorus of "Without you".
As you might have guessed by now, I am rather fond of this album. That's not quite true , I love it. It's a stunning collection of brilliant songs which are sung and played with enormous skill and passion. It marks a very positive step forward in the development of The Hanging Stars and whilst we are only a matter of weeks into 2024 , I will be amazed if it is not my Album of The Year.
Peter Cowley
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