The Southern Companion is the band and brainchild of Darren Hodson, a musician and songwriter from Hampshire, England who draws his influences from all over the place. Citing the likes of The Black Crowes, The Allman Brothers, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jason Isbell, Ryan Adams and The Beatles as inspiring his sound, Darren incorporates elements of southern rock, country, blues folk, soul and Americana into his music, grounding the songs in earthy guitars and husky vocals.
The effect is a cohesive musical style that is apt for starting a party in true roots fashion, but that is also not a stretch to drop down into stripped-back ballads. Although most of the songs are up-tempo and mid-tempo foot-tappers with a cheery sensibility, The Southern Companion spend the majority of their latest album ‘1000 Days of Rain’ dealing with emotions, and what sound like Darren’s own very personal experiences. Lead single ‘Feels Like Years’, for example, laments the rush of modern life and how it can allow a long-term relationship to take a backseat, while ‘Lullaby For G’ is a definitive tribute to Darren’s young child. His kid turns up on several occasions throughout the album, usually as a passing mention of how the birth has dramatically impacted his life, such as on alt rocker ‘Dead Man Walking’, which reaches out to a significant other for emotional support after several life changes have thrown him for a loop.
One of those major life changes is the loss of his mother, who appears to be the subject of album closer ‘Letting You Go’, a rare vulnerable moment on a generally full production record. The character in this song has died from cancer, and the narrator grapples with the memories and trying to deal with loss, a rather direct and heartbreaking offering that shows Darren’s true songwriting capabilities. “I’ve been keeping this voicemail from 1000 days ago,” he sings, before going on to reference chemotherapy appointments and “losing you slow”. Similarly ‘Dead Man Walking’ states “Now I’ve had 1000 days of rain,” the lyric which goes on to name the entire album. It’s clear that the rain refers to the pain of losing a parent, and the time period of which he grieved, perhaps before finally putting pen to paper.
However, there is other unspecified relationship conflict and associated goodbyes on the album. ‘Heaven Knows’, for example, deals with missing an ex-lover and regretting leaving, while ‘This Love of Mine’ flips perspective in thanking an ex for the ride despite awful treatment, and looking forward to finding a new relationship that is kinder to him. Country folk ditty ‘The Leaving Kind’ offers yet another aspect on leaving and moving on, both literally and metaphorically, using love to take the characters onto better and happier things. The soulful ‘Waiting On A Corner’, meanwhile, also reflects on how certain experiences can burn us and leave us lost and broken, struggling to start afresh.
Record opener ‘Crash’ – the band’s new single – focuses on inner conflict and relational tensions too, featuring a smooth and twangy fiddle line that is just infectious. Using driving metaphors, the narrator muses on how he crashed in his life and collided with a certain someone, causing collateral damage and generally making mess. It’s an apt track to open the album with how it explores multiple situations yet continuing to return to the underlying theme of crashing.
One song that doesn’t fit with the overall current of the record is ‘Wrong Side of the 70’s’, although it retains that personal approach that Darren has made his trademark. Featuring a lyric that will be relatable to many, it expresses blunt disappointment with today’s society, citing the internet and reality singing shows as examples of how things have gone downhill since the 70s. Although it is slightly problematic given the amount of social injustices and inequality present forty years ago, it seems to focus more on the state of the music industry, with rock icons fading and giving way to social media starlets. It’s Darren’s only real socio-political statement on the record, and stands out among the personal tales, but is sure to be a fan favourite with those who agree with the sentiment.
‘1000 Days of Rain’ is a solid 10-track collection that pulls Darren’s influences together and showcases his songwriting and musicianship on a grand stage. There’s nothing quite like lighting up material with a full band, and the textural variety on this record is very much welcomed. The Southern Companion’s songs are catchy, rootsy, retro and organic, with some very real stories that are full of emotional substance. While not strictly country the whole way through, they’re definitely worth checking out, particularly on the live circuit.
Originally posted here.
