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Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Cranford Hollow - Color/Sound/Renew/Revive (2017)


OFFICIAL: http://www.cranfordhollowmusic.com/


Written by Pamela Bellmore, posted by blog admin

Cranford Hollow are far from content revisiting elements of traditional music without trying to make something new and individualistic from it. Their latest release Color/Sound/Revive/Renew brings them ever closer to something wholly unique in the Americana genre, so much so that they scarcely can be categorized in such narrow terms. The eight song collection certainly sports a strong bluegrass/classic country/blues influence, but John Cranford and his band mates twist those influences in such a novel way that it often takes on the aspects of something wholly their own. Five albums into their career, this album represents a possible turning point where the past truly begins receding in their rear view mirror and they approach something akin to a full on transformation of their influences into something defying categorization. The South Carolina based band began life as a shit-kicking, tough as nails whiskey soaked four piece with a strong fidelity to the singer/songwriter tradition in Americana music, but their evolution has led them to unexpected heights.

There’s almost a progressive edge to some of these tracks. Cuts like the opener “Songfield” make unabashed use of theatrical atmospherics to enhance solid songwriting and there’s never any sense of them overreaching for effect. Primary songwriter and second guitarist John Cranford has a sandpaper yowl that’s, nevertheless, capable of enormous sensitivity and his lyrical prowess remains one of the band’s defining strengths. The lyrical prowess is further demonstrated on “Long Shadows” and made all the more memorable thanks to stunningly sympathetic accompaniment from Eric “Thunder” Reid’s intense fiddle playing. His musicianship is an excellent match for Cranford and lead guitarist Yannie Reynecke’s six string work. The three engage in a near constant dialogue throughout the course of Color/Sound/Renew/Revive that’s quite unlike anything else you’ll hear in the genre. The brief bursts of flash coming from Reynecke throughout this collection unequivocally prove he has the chops and presence to dominate any recording but, to his credit, Reynecke is resolutely committed to serving the song. Drummer Randy Rockolata and bassist Phillip Simans are key components in the band’s quality and never overplay their musical hand. Instead, they lay down inventive and tasteful support for the top line melodic instruments that never wavers.

There’s simmering emotions powering the track “Noise” and a particularly powerful performance from Rockolata on drums. The revolving, modulated strength of his drumming seems to hint the track will be an all out rocker, but it actually gains more suggestive force from its restraint than a far more all out aural assault would have ever brought listeners. Cranford’s emotional delivery is freer of the phlegmy growl we hear on other tracks, but it has much of the same hard bitten tone we’ve heard on earlier tracks. There some voice over from a President John F, Kennedy speech overheard during the opening of “North” while the band builds a a gradually escalating mid-tempo track behind it. Piano plays an important role in this song’s development, but it never blankets the track and there’s ample room for the other instrumentation to weave their magic. Cranford’s lyrics have an overarching topicality, but studiously avoid anything ripped from current events. Instead, this is topicality speaking to universal human experience, the politics of life and heart. This is the sum of Cranford Hollow’s music and their artistry grows with each new release.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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