Hence Phillips – Heaven Or Nashville

Hence Phillips – Heaven Or Nashville – Album Review

Huh…well that’s interesting.  I mean, if we’re to go by the album title here, the word ‘or’ suggests that you would have to choose one, Heaven Or Nashville…

…and as a responsible music critic, I think this is probably an appropriate time to remind you all that in a free and democratic society, you are also allowed to totally abstain from voting.  I’m cool with neither Heaven Or Nashville, and I’m hoping maybe there’s a third option on the back of the album cover somewhere?  On a very related note…I have some legitimate concerns about pushing play here…

You’ll just have to forgive me for my Country music phobia…it’s nothing more than a natural reaction from a guy raised in the Grunge era.  As I’ve said many times in my life here at sleepingbagstudios, where I specifically chose long ago to keep the doors wide open to ALL types of music in every genre and skill level under the sun…the best of the best are still going to break through, regardless of our personal preferences, right?  When I did finally get past my fears and pushed play, and heard Hence singing “Angels Down In Texas,” I knew I was in some trouble here – this dude’s good!  I mean, as objective as I can be, this is a really well-executed tune that bears all the hallmarks of a very traditional style of songwriting, yes…but man-oh-man is it effective.  Like, LISTEN to the very first line he sings, will ya?  Hence has a voice made of pure golden syrup, designed to slide right through your speakers and right on into your soul.  Add in the smart way that “Angels Down In Texas” is designed, so that the accompanying instrumentation, like the acoustic piano, the piano, the mandolin, the fiddle…everything gets its own special moment in the mix where it finds the true center of the spotlight, yet still cohesively contributes to the entire song in a remarkable way that reveals the real genius of collaborative songwriting in action.  As great as any one element of this song might be to your ears and probably IS, it’s honestly how it all comes together as one unified moment that makes “Angels Down In Texas” as impressive as it truly is.

Now…the “Room Of Love,” you say Hence?  You’ll just have to forgive my ignorance there partner, but we’re essentially talkin’ about making the beast with two backs, are we not?  I suppose it’s fair to say that there are likely many shops that offer a “Room Of Love” out there in this world too, but I don’t get the sense that that’s what Hence is singing about here.  “Where the mystery happens” though?  Even though Phillips isn’t singing directly about the dirty details of what’s included and such…like…there’s no real mystery to be found here, is there?  You can put away your magnifying glass Sherlock Holmes, and we won’t be requiring your services Mr. Hercule Poirot…I think we can all solve this case quickly enough.  In fact I’m pretty sure that just by mentioning the “Room Of Love” every single person that would hear that would raise an eyebrow instantly and know exactly what you’re getting at…but maybe that’s just me…maybe I’m projecting.  I’ll say this…if we’re talking about quality of execution or the quality of the songwriting, I don’t really hear any issues at all.  If we’re talking about what personally appeals to me, which should never matter all that much, then I’d tell you there’s probably a considerable difference between how I feel about “Angels Down In Texas” versus how I feel about “Room Of Love,” but so what?  I’m still telling you it’s well worth the listening to, and it still has amazing highlights to it…like the harmonies you’ll find, or like, listen to how this song makes such a brilliant transition into the bridge that occurs just prior to the second minute.  Hence is making some genuinely noticeable moves, and the right ones that continually grab our attention.  With every one of those he makes, more of us climb on board.

I felt like “Anna Lee” was the track of the first three that seemed to immediately appeal to me the most in terms of the sound it possessed and what appeals to my ears on a personal level, at least at first.  As it kicked into gear, I was less sure about that…”Angels Down In Texas” might still have the edge overall, but in any event, “Anna Lee” is still a quality tune.  “Anna Lee what’s wrong with me, I’m about as lonesome as a man could be” is a genuinely good hook, and a memorable one that I’m sure many of us will continue to sing along with long after the music stops.  So let’s see here…what am I really trying to say…what am I getting at?  I guess it’s like this…I can hear the art and the craft more-so in the first two tracks, but I feel like there’s more universal accessibility to be found in this third tune, even if the sound itself is a bit darker than what you might find in a typical single.  If we’re going back to what appeals to my own personal taste, then I’m probably always going to go with something like “Anna Lee” that has a bit more of a tangible darkness to it than the more upbeat cue-the-dance-moves inducing vibes of “Room Of Love,” but I respect the man’s ability to switch gears competently and achieve results in whichever style he chooses.  We’ll talk more about the kind of sound he’s rockin’ with on “Anna Lee” further down the road in tunes that possess a similar grit and spirit to them, but suffice it to say for now that I felt like this third cut from Heaven Or Nashville has the kind of sound that I was hoping to find.  To me, this track immediately broadens the scope of the potential audience for this new Phillips record.

To be completely real with ya though, I sincerely feel like Hence Phillips represents the Country genre extremely well.  He’s got the kind of authenticity you can’t fake, and clearly understands the roots of his style of music and how entwined they are with the Folk genre where it all began.  Traditional Country…I believe that’s what y’all like to refer to it as…that’s what we’re talkin’ about I guess, which is head and shoulders above Modern Country, in my not so humble and very direct opinion.  “I Can Count On You” makes exceptional use of the fiddle for example, which Hence has already wisely included into his music at many points in this set-list so far via the ace musicians he’s got playing with him.  The superb fiddle work you’ll hear comes from Eamon McLoughlin, who also supplies the mandolin you’ll hear on Heaven Or Nashville.  When it comes right down to it through, let’s be real here – Hence has got the voice.  You know the one…that low-drawl that makes for a perfect fit when it comes to singing the verses, yet somehow seems to brighten right up when it comes time to do the main hooks & chorus.  He’s got that comforting vibe to him, like the grandpa or uncle you love singing around the house before you get to chorin’ – but like, the good version of that…like, as well-intentioned as I’m sure they are, it’d be a whole lot nicer if they all sounded like Hence does, you know what I mean?  When it comes to “I Can Count On You,” it’s one of my favorite tracks on the album in terms of hearing the man behind it all shift his voice from verse to chorus…I like the wisdom that comes with his natural tone in the verses, but hearing him really find that inspired spark and take it to the next level in the chorus is a real treat to experience on this cut, it’s a quality example of how an artist like Hence can take a good song & turn it into a great one.

And so here we are…the moment…”Heaven Or Nashville.”  I really like what Hence has done with the backing vocals on this record as a whole, and this track makes good use of’em too.  Now…where the rubber meets the road on tunes like this, or going in the direction of traditional Country in general, is that it’s extremely tough to recreate the wheel, if not outright impossible.  So when I’m hearing a song like “Heaven Or Nashville,” I wouldn’t nearly go so far as to say I’m hearing anything that I haven’t heard or experienced in some way, shape, or form throughout years and years of listening to music…but that doesn’t mean you can’t tell a story or sing a familiar melody better than someone else can, you feel me?  Hence does what he does extremely well…and I truly hope in my heart of hearts that he gets recognized for that.  From what I’ve read online, Hence is based out of Sacramento, California…where a sound like his probably stands out pretty significantly…but as far as his choice of Heaven Or Nashville is concerned, I think we have our answer, considering that this album was recorded at The Parlor Studio in Nashville.  I like what he’s got goin’ on here in this title-track…it’s a real highlight for the storytellin’ side of Hence’s songwriting, and what else can really be said about the musicianship & instrumentation on this album besides the fact that it’ll never disappoint ya or let you down.  The execution here deserves accolades, and the consistent attention to detail really shows that not an ounce of this album has been overlooked.

Much like I had felt about “Anna Lee” earlier on, “Art Of Leaving” started and my ears perked up a bit – it has a sound that naturally appeals more to a person like myself that is usually found well beyond the gates of Country.  While I wouldn’t try to mislead you or tell you that Hence makes his way into Rock or any other genre for that matter with “Art Of Leaving,” what I can tell you with certainty is that exploring sounds that are on the fringe of the style you play within, is always a great idea.  That’s precisely how you go about getting people that would potentially be on the fence to fall on your side.  I listen to a track like “Art Of Leaving” and recognize that this ain’t exactly a distant cousin to something that Tom Petty would have written, and though I might not have always been his most dedicated fan either, that’s still a whole lot closer to what I normally listen to than most Country/Folk would ever be.  Look at it this way – the real sweet spot in the music industry these days doesn’t come down to being stuck in one gear or even limiting yourself to a single genre – it comes from finding crossover sound that broadens your appeal to a wider audience.  It’s in the hybrid nature of a song like “Art Of Leaving” that you’ll find an artist like Hence will not only have his existing fan-base enthusiastically cheering him on, but you’ll find him opening the door to a whole batch of new fans in the process.  And what is that…is that the ol’ Hammond B-3 I can hear in the background of this tune, played by Catherine Marx?  I could be wrong, but I think that’s what I’m hearing.  I still have justifiable PTSD from helping my old man MOVE his B-3 about eight times from house to house as I grew up…trust me when I tell you, anyone that has ever had to lift one in their lifetime likely bears the same emotional scars that I do.  That’s a formidable beast to say the least, but the warm glow it can provide to a song always proves to be an essential ingredient.

You know…I know I mentioned the fiddle as being an essential ingredient to this record earlier on, but I don’t think I could ever give McLoughlin enough credit for how much of a difference his instrument has been making to these tunes…dude’s an incredible player.  When it comes to “Rollin’” though…Eamon might just have to look out for some stiff competition from Marx on piano, and Robin Ruddy on the banjo too – this whole track really reveals some of the mastery of the musicians that Hence has brought into the fold to play his latest batch of songs.  I could go on and on, I assure you – Mica Roberts with the backing vocals for instance, is magnificent every time she shows up.  Same thing goes for pedal steel guitar player Eddy Dunlap too…dude’s amazing.  You get the point I’m sure.  Like I always try to remind you, talent attracts talent.  If Hence wasn’t as great as he is, trust me, it’d be so much harder to crack the code and secure a whole lineup of unbelievable talent like he’s assembled for Heaven Or Nashville.  “Rollin’” has that whole “east bound and down loaded up and truckin’” type of feel to it, but let’s be real here…it’s not like Hence and his crew are shying away from that comparison so much as leaning into it as hard as they possibly could, to own this moment with the confidence and quality it deserves.  If there IS a noticeable crime that has been committed on this particular track however, it’s the one you’ll find at the very end of the song where I believe it’s Dunlap’s solo that ends up being faded out?  It’s a criminal act!  Who is in charge of the decision making here Hence…because I’d like to speak to their manager, good sir!  To be fair, I’m almost opposed to every fade-out in a song no matter what genre, style, or era that it belongs to…but the end of “Rollin’” might just be the example I point to for the rest of time as to WHY I feel the way that I do.  Just as the dude starts to cook, you can hear the song begin its descent, and your ears KNOW what they are missing out on…it’s a solid finale, but man do we want MORE of it!

Here’s a perfect example of what I’ve been getting at when I say how tough it can be to recreate the wheel when you’re drawing on more traditional sounds & melodic patterns…”Only One Of You.”  I’m sitting here at my desk, tippity tappity typing away these words as the calendar has just ticked past the start date for spring, and Phillips has me here wondering if I’m way closer to Christmas with “Only One Of You.”  A lot of the old Country tunes and Christmas tunes would overlap to practically a full circle on a Venn Diagram…and I’m afraid that might be the case here.  That’s not me saying that “Only One Of You” is a bad tune, despite being a composite of the two genres I basically fear the most…the playful bounce it has and the sweetness of Hence’s words are all quite welcome & pleasant to listen to, even if we’re once again not talkin’ about doing all that much that we could deem to be 100% original.  Some folks need that, others don’t…and I respect that.  I am very much that kind of person that wants to hear something I’ve never heard before in just about everything I listen to, so take anything I say with a healthy grain of salt – Hence clearly prefers to continue playing in more familiar terrain, and hey, there’s a wealth of totally valid reasons as to why listeners love the sound/style he’s playin’ with to this very day.  Familiarity doesn’t ALWAYS breed contempt, as they say – sometimes it packs the freakin’ dance floor, and they never tell you that.  Also, to be as fair as I can be, “Only One Of You” still possesses that hybrid aspect of crossover potential I was referring to earlier on.  Just because it’s not using the kind of combination that might appeal to me doesn’t mean the concept of crossover sound and its more widespread reach won’t appeal to YOU.  You can never fault the quality of the execution on this album, the material itself is still strong…I mean, after that all you’re battling is the court of public opinion and what appeals to each individual listener, and we’ll all going to have our own favorites.  “Only One Of You” would have had me right on the fence about its inclusion, and it’s the only one that had me feeling that way by comparison to the rest, but I still admire the sentiment & sweetness at the core of this song.

The added weight, depth, and punch that Phillips has added to tracks like “Anna Lee,” “Art Of Leaving” and “Fun With The Truth” have been essential cuts on this album, and would all be considered to be at the top of the pack on my own list of favorites from Heaven Or Nashville.  Now…I don’t want to blow up his spot here, or tell you anything you might not know about the political leanings of the music you’re listening to…but pay close attention to the words of “Fun With The Truth” and you’ll know where Hence stands.  Some of my favorite lines on the record are found within this very song…and that Tom Petty comparison I made earlier on?  Hence sounds even more like the legend himself in this tune too.  What I love about songwriting like you’ll hear on “Fun With The Truth” is that you really do have to be paying full attention to catch all the cleverness he’s put into his words.  While I wouldn’t tell you that Phillips is being ambiguous here – he’s not, he’s choosing a side – he’s gone about it in a very wise way that would have the meaning of his words fly right over a lot of people’s heads as they’re enthusiastically groovin’ to his song, while also having distinct points of reference, concrete examples, and something significant to say for those that choose to dig below the surface of the sound itself.  As in, if you want to choose to put your blinders on and just listen to a tune you’d want to turn up, you’ll enjoy “Fun With The Truth” – but if you choose to get more out the music you’re listening to, and you’re paying close attention to his words, you’ll get that much more out of a song like this.  The real question is…are we having fun yet?  “You can have fun with the truth for a while, but sooner or later the truth will have fun with you.”  That might go down as one of the truest lines you’ll hear this year…and I’d reckon we’ve long shifted into the second half of that quote at this point in time.  Bonus points go to the meat and potatoes here…the core three of Kerry Marx on guitars, the bass of Larry Paxton, and drums of Paul Leim…their steadiness has been essential to this whole lineup of tunes, but they sure shine brightly on this particular cut.  There’s a small chance Larry has the edge on this one, but everyone involved is playing great here, truly.  If anything is really stealing the show on “Fun With The Truth,” it’s going to be the songwriting itself.  You hear fantastic performances like this come out of the conviction & confidence in the material, full stop.

You know…by the time I would reach the end of this record throughout the past week or so in listening to Heaven Or Nashville, I’d feel like Hence was really growing on me with each spin.  There are a lot of things that make this record exceptional listen to, which certainly includes the ace-musicianship he’s enlisted to support him…but at the end of the day, I feel like Hence’s voice is what genuinely makes his material stand out as much as it does.  The best way I can put it to ya, is that there has always been a lot of artists & bands out there willing to approach things in a traditional or somewhat typical style in terms of the genres they play within, but it’s rare to find someone like Phillips who sounds like he is as authentically a part of the original sound as those that first started it all.  For myself personally, it has never mattered which style of music I’m listening to – I’m only ever listening for one thing above all others, and that’s the connection you have to it.  The bond.  The special sound of being truly invested in every ticking second.  That’s where Hence Phillips continually exceeded all expectations and hopes I had for this record.  Right to the finish line with the beautifully-played “Guadalupe Dunes,” I felt like anyone listening would have no choice but to admire the man’s commitment to the material, and how much it all feels like it truly matters to him.  It’s as a result of that very same commitment, that he gets us all onboard & singing along with him…and he should be extremely proud of the authenticity he possesses.  While it’d practically be impossible to fully convert me into a Country fan, that’s no fault of the effort put forth here…this is an undoubtedly impressive lineup of songs that came out sparkling and shining from start to finish.  Ending with the softened melody of “Guadalupe Dunes” played vibrantly and boldly was an excellent choice; it highlights the hybrid nature of Hence’s style of Country music and reveals yet another dimension of his crossover potential, while supplying you with yet another reason to push repeat & have another spin through the full set of remarkable songs that make up Heaven Or Nashville.

Find out more about Hence Phillips from his official site at:  http://www.hencephillips.com

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