Austin is a city well known for its folk and country. Support for such a notion came from Curnet Marie Andrews who released a magnificent album last year called Honest Life. This year, we have another folk diamond, and it is an album by Will Johnson. Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm is suitable for anyone who is into some good old country.
Johnson played in numerous groups and supergroups, but he is most famous for his work with Centro-matic and supergroup Monsters of Folk. Another famous collaboration was the one with Jason Molina titled Molina and Johnson back in 2009. His solo career took off long before the breakup of Centro-matic. On his fifth, current studio album, the sound has transitioned. The predecessor, Swan City Vampires was still loyal to the spirit of his mother band.
Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm is a more personal and more complex album than any other in his discography. The concept comprises of stories about people who are faced with struggles, difficulties and loneliness. Emotional tone is intense, but it does not come from the perspective of the author, rather through the voices of the characters he had decided to present on the album. All of these characters operate individually, and not as alter-egos of the author himself. That is the charm of the album – narrative elements on the level of high quality literature. The stories offered here would function great without music, while the soundtrack makes them even more spectacular.
The sound of the album is folk, in all of its raw property. Although there are traces of Americana, key instruments are acoustic guitar and percussions. Melody and rhythm are omnipresent in each song, especially in the most successfully realized Every Single Day Of Late. Specific pedal activity created a rhythm effect. Contrary to its religious theme, the song is not heavy or dark. Protagonist is addicted to forbidden relationship after the religious consultation. Will Johnson approaches this topic with highest tolerance and simplicity, without any extensive theory.
Hey-O, Hi brings interesting combination of drums and acoustic guitar which created not so typical folk atmosphere. The vocal experiments with non-traditional folk interpretation as well. The most expressive and slightly rock track is Heresy and Snakes. In Ruby Shameless, Will tends to understand deviant characters and strives to show them as any other person who was never confronted with extreme circumstances.
Filled With A Falcon’s Dream continues with biographical elements with equally luring folk sound. The acoustic compound of Milaak is amazing.
To conclude, Will Johnson achieved the most mature release in his career. Will is also a painter, with more than 15 solo and group exhibitions. Now it makes more sense why his music is like painting with words.
