 Sometimes it takes time to get back to the basics, get back
to one’s roots, and build up the important things. For Sister Hazel, it’s always
been about the music, but over the course of their decade-plus music making
career, it has expanded beyond that to incorporate so much more. They’ve
maintained their unerring focus and desire to help, to share, to include, and to
grow -- be it through their music or through other means -- all the while
stretching their musical umbrella to cover what has become a true community.
At the basis of that umbrella is the music, and their latest, and perhaps
best-realized Sister Hazel record start to finish, is aptly named “Absolutely.”
The affirmative overtones of the title only serve to underscore the pride the
band justly feels with the end result. “In the most non-egotistical way
possible, I feel this is the best record we’ve ever made,” says rhythm
guitarist/vocalist Drew Copeland. Concurs bassist Jett Beres: “We’re journeymen
and we’ve focused on creating a cathartic experience for our fans. We want our
fans to feel what we’re feeling, so the lyrics are really important.” Equally
important is capturing that elusive live show magic, and Beres feels that
they’ve succeeded in coming closer to doing that. “This record captures our live
show vibe well.”
They were able to get the live feel by shaking things up in the recording
process this time around. They, according to lead vocalist/acoustic guitarist
Ken Block, went back to their roots. “I did a lot of writing at the house I grew
up in, and we went into a warehouse in Gainesville, just a few blocks from the
first club we played, and demo’ed everything.” With this pre-production process,
the band was able to hone the songs and make them shine, even before they
entered the studio. “Sometimes you have to go all the way back around the block
to where you started,” comments guitarist Ryan Newell, “Breathing the same air
and seeing the same sights took us back to our roots. I don’t think this was us
settling back into old routines so much as it allowed us to be comfortable with
ourselves while constantly still trying to push the boundaries.”
The band recorded over 70 demos, then went into the studio with three producers
to record the thirteen tracks that would become “Absolutely.” To further mix
things up, the band, who had always recorded in urban locales, opted to do the
majority of the recording at Darkhorse Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, which
drummer Mark Trojanowski likens to Bearsville Studios in New York – it’s a farm
of sorts and the band was out in the country, by themselves, which made for a
highly creative scenario with minimal distractions. Joining the band for six
tracks at the production helm was Don McCollister, who had worked with the band
in the past. Album Executive Producer Scott Parker produced six tracks as well,
with the remaining track seeing Richard Marx in the production seat. (He also
co-wrote the track, “Meet Me In The Memory,” with Block.)
From the blues-rock guitar underpinnings of the bouncy “Shame” to the simplicity
of the piano-driven “This Kind of Love,” the album is chock full of a variety of
aural emotions and colors. “Mandolin Moon”’s sing-along chorus is instantly
catchy and ebullient, but to classify Sister Hazel as purveyors of happy is to
do them a serious disservice. Keep listening and the tear-your-heart-out lyrical
turns of phrase in “Tear By Tear” will linger in the mind long after the music
has stopped, commanding a resonance that is further augmented by “Where Do You
Go,” a song that skates a story line between Hurricane Katrina’s wrath and a
dissolving relationship.
And a lifestyle it has become. The fivesome has never been far from the road,
and their consistent, regular touring has only helped to grow their fan base,
year in and year out. Even before they signed their first record deal, they were
always very available and open with their fans, and they’ve continued to strive
to provide those fans with a feeling of sharing along the way. The result has
been a group of fans who are extraordinarily loyal, some of whom follow the band
on the road from city to city. “We’ve created a community of like-minded people
who enjoy the music as much as we do,” says Newell. “We’re still having fun and
that translates. All of us try to be accessible to our fans, and we really are
concerned with their journey as much as ours.”
“We’ve been fortunate with our success,” says Block. “As a band, we’ve always
put writing songs that we believe in, putting on powerful live shows, and being
passionate about our craft at the top.” Trojanowski attributes their longevity
to a simple concept: “When you set yourself up as a band, a democracy, it lasts
longer. That equal partnership is key.” Over time, the band has grown a
lifestyle and fan community via touring, fan interaction, and charity work, yet
the all-important music provides the soundtrack for it all. Whether you call it
roots rock or American rock, the music Sister Hazel makes is definitely not
alternative or modern rock; they are not emo, screamo, anything-core or
flavor-of-the-moment. Their music is solid and satisfying, comfortable and easy,
like old friends and family. Absolutely perfect and absolutely Sister Hazel.
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Bama's big bargain: Public invited to enjoy a free JubileeMontgomery AdvertiserPeople watch the Sister Hazel concert at Riverwalk Amphitheater in Montgomery on July 2, 2011. / ADVERTISER FILE PHOTOS Where: Riverwalk Amphitheatre, enter through tunnel on Commerce Street. Fireworks show will be visible throughout many downtown ... |
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