First Ever, Unsolicited Artist SubmissionSo I've been doing this for the last three or four months. I have no illusions of ever reaching BrooklynVegan, Pitchfork, or Stereogum status, but I do like to think that people are paying attention sometimes. Imagine how excited I was, then, to receive my first-ever unsolicited album from an artist.
That artist is Philadelphia-based Heyward Howkins. This is Howkins's first solo effort after stints as lead guitarist for The Trouble With Sweeney and as a founding member of choral group The Silver Ages where he worked with members of other Philly outfits like The War On Drugs and Dr. Dog. The Hale and Hearty is a pleasant surprise, and I'd be happy if every day brought discoveries like it to my inbox.
I'd describe the sound as jazzy Americana -- finger-picked guitar, strings, piano, the occasional horn and some really lovely vocals. Based on those vocals and the sometimes inscrutable lyrics, it would be easy to compare Howkins to Bon Iver, but Howkins's style is less, I don't know, spare than Bon Iver's.
The production on tracks like "Sugar Sand Stitched Lip," "The Raucous Calls of Morning," or "The Live Oak" echo some of Wilco's early aughts work. "Hudson Piers" has an early twentieth-century sound reminiscent of Beirut. "Waist High or Dry" and "Flash Mob" show that Howkins can also do the pop thing. The title track moves along on a mellow almost lounge-y vibe. Together, the collection brings some flavor to a genre that I've got to admit I usually find a little boring.
I've said before that one of the most rewarding things about maintaining this blog has been discovering music or artists that I may have never considered before. Howkins's style definitely differs from most of what I've been listening to lately, so it was nice to be redirected a bit. The Hale and Hearty is really a pretty record, and I'm glad we met.
The Hale and Hearty is due out on June 26th. You can check out some of the tracks over at Heyward Howkins's website.
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