I_See_Hawks_In_LA-Mystery_Drug-2013-404

Section

MP3/FLAC

Group

404

Size

91,31 MB

Files

17

Date

2013-06-06

NFO

Artist: I See Hawks In LA
Album: Mystery Drug
Bitrate: 255kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: Blue Rose Records
Genre: Rock
Size: 94.91 megs
PlayTime: 0h 48min 57sec total
Rip Date: 2013-06-06
Store Date: 2013-05-24

Track List:
--------
01. Oklahoma's Going Dry             4:37
02. Mystery Drug                     2:41
03. Yesterday's Coffee               3:52
04. The Beauty Of The Better States  3:41
05. We Could All Be In Laughlin      4:08
    Tonight
06. One Drop Of Human Blood          4:22
07. Sky Island                       5:01
08. If You Remind Me                 4:03
09. Rock N Roll Cymbal From The      3:29
    Seventies
10. Tongues In The Flame             2:13
11. Stop Driving Like An Asshole     1:33
12. My Local Merchants               1:34
13. The River Knows                  7:43

Release Notes:
--------
After nearly 50 years as a music fan and 15 as a reviewer I still get excited
about discovering new bands and having my breath taken away by songs and tunes
that IÆve not heard before.

I was aware of I See Hawks in L.A. but only owned 3 tracks on VA compilations
when this album arrived, so was only mildly interested at the prospect of
listening to it.

Well; it only took 15 seconds of a divine pedal steel intro followed by an
attention-grabbing gruff male voice to capture my attention and I went on to
spend an enjoyable lunch hour listening to MYSTERY DRUG from start to finish.

Since then IÆve played it as background music while reading the Sunday papers;
at full volume as I drove a car on the motorway and also on headphones so I
could pick up the nuances of the intricate lyrics. There is something here for
everyone as I See Hawks in L.A. tick all of the boxes.

The track that first piqued my interest OklahomaÆs Going Dry is an observational
piece about the adversely dry weather effecting farmers and therefore the whole
community and; itÆs rather beautiful.

It was during track 3 û YesterdayÆs Coffee when I initially had to stop work and
listen intently; during that very first spin on the office player. As with the
rest of the album this song is so laid back, itÆs almost asleep, but when you
listen to the biting lyrics you know that the writer has a very special talent
indeed as he uses a jug of stake coffee as a metaphor for a disintegrating
relationship.

A couple of yeas ago I couldnÆt put a disc into the player without a banjo
booming out of the speakers and this year itÆs pedal-steel guitars and just as I
was getting a bit tired of constantly hearing this beautiful instrument I See
Hawks in L.A have rekindled my love by using it sparingly but effectively,
throughout MYSTERY DRUG and it weaves throughout We Could All Be In Laughlin
Tonight like a crying heart that that is wailing at the moon.

The song itself is wonderful and will strike a chord with any and every musician
that is struggling to make a living by playing their own songs in front of ever
dwindling uninterested crowds across the world instead of (in this case) playing
in a Skynard tribute band for æa hundred a man/plus rooms at the HarrahÆs/and a
one night stand.Æ But, like thousands of others they continue ploughing a lonely
furrow for a handful of people who appreciate their æartÆ. Personally; I salute
them.

Obviously many of you will want to scream at me for not discovering I See Hawks
earlier; as this is actually their 7th release in 14 years and the band members
are all excellent, mature musicians who are as comfortable with their
instruments as I am with my favourite slippers.

I canÆt not mention Stop Driving Like An Asshole which could and should have
been a throwaway jokey song; but is sang with as much passion and intensity as
everything else and will, no doubt become a powerful sing-a-long encore at every
gig until the end of time.

MYSTERY DRUG ends with a simple yet prophetic observation on life and love and
family with The River Flows and it bookends the album perfectly.

The album has highs and lows of tempo and I can just as easily imagine the band
playing a bar in the seedy side of town and equally, playing the same songs in
an Arena in front of 10,000 adoring acolytes.

In many ways there isnÆt anything new here and we can all draw a bloodline back
through the Californian roots bands of the last 40 years until we arrive back at
Gram or perhaps earlier to the Byrds, but what I See Hawks in L.A. give us is a
well structured, and often beautiful take on the classic Alt-Country template
that will live on long into the future.

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