Album Details

• Artist: David Hillman
• Album: Americana Hour
• Label: VAV
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: patchen on 2007-05-24

From the rocking opener, "Vexations," with its Buffalo Tom-like washes of power pop chords, to the smoky "Josephine" and the country tinged "Where the Road Takes a Bend," Hillman has titled this release almost literally. Though it clocks in at a little more than a half hour, he has sure packed in his mastery of several key American styles. No relation to the Hillmans of Byrds and Burritos fame, he, like those bands, brings an energetic and authentic mix of traditional and rock styles that is the real deal.

This is one of the few records that could be called alt-country because of its sound, not its hyped shoehorn into a hit genre. "Celladore" is a vibrant example of what pure country still has to offer; "The Cowgirl With The Fifty Cats" has enough creep amidst its bounce to satisfy any blues fan. Hillman has dipped into the well of ansty rock, and Americana Hour is a smart brooding thing full of good old American schizophrenic love of making a sonic stew.

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