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Harpeth Rising - deep, thoughtful and energetic engaging folk
There’s a distinctive sound arrived from America, part folk, part bluegrass with a touch of classical and it’s wholly wonderful - Harpeth Rising bring a deep, thoughtful and engaging energetic edge to folk music, and their album ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ includes each in equal measure. The deceptively unadorned combination of violin, banjo, cello and hand percussion belies its simplicity to fashion intensely engaging tunes overlaid with penetrating lyrics and potent vocals.
The title track ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ is a fascinating melange of jazzy folk riffs and sparkling vocals rolled round an attractive melody as violin and banjo wander across a landscape of dulcet cello tones. The moving ‘California 1854’ begins with soft vocals picking their way across gently picked strings and builds through the superb soaring melody into a mournful anthem of longing. Were that not sufficient, ‘Time’ majors on the fabulous harmonic vocal interplay between Jordana and Rebecca while violin and banjo duel beneath.
The difference in this album is the way the band demonstrate their total lack of fear in tackling a new and constantly varying approach to folk. ‘Crash Test Dummies’ with its enigmatic title washes more towards a blues feel to create a surreptitiously engaging song – and you’ve got to listen to the lyrics. Then again there’s a step change as ‘Tough as Nails’ marches along with vitality and punch to make its point in no uncertain terms. For my money, the best of the album lies in hypnotic, drum-driven chant-like quality of ’Next Year’s Rain’.
The precocious blending of bluegrass-influenced American folk and flawless intricate vocals with classical education and the desire to move their music down roads un-trod or those less travelled makes this an album worth taking the time to know.