Trying to describe Lomelda's second album Thx, by the title gracing songs by Willie Nelson and Canned Heat is quite fitting as far as its feel is concerned, even though the music is neither country or blues.
Nor could Lomelda be easily described as a band. It is basically Texan Hannah Read, with the help of her brother Tommy and a friend here and there, as Hannah takes on all vocal and most of the instrumental duties.
What is quite characteristic of the album is that combination of transient and never ending feeling you get being on the road. For people who never lived or visited the US that might seem quite elusive as a concept, but for Hannah who still lives somewhere in Texas, a state that is itself larger than most of the countries in the world, trying to reach either Austin or Huston can seem quick and indefinite at the same time.
All of that is not only obvious in her lyrics on Thx (the album does start off with a song titled “Interstate Vision”, after all) but in her sam-electric folky music, inspired by, as Hannah admits herself, particularly by late Eliott Smith.
But Hannah is certainly no imitator, she has quite a unique musical voice herself. Helped in large part by her interesting and very melodious singing voice. Her minimalistic, often echoing electric guitar playing gives the music that extra touch it deserves. The arrangements throughout are understated and worked perfectly, the elements are added only when needed, as the strings on “Far Out”.
But what gives the music that positive balance is Reid’s emotional involvement and overall melancholy that is interwoven in practically every song on Thx. “Interstates are not what I want”, she says in “Interstate Vision”, give that touch of sadness involved in spending a lot of time on the road in-between spaces that spell emotional emptiness.
And like Eliott Smith that Reid cites as inspiration, emotional emptiness is a feeling you want to avoid. With Thx Hannah Read and her band Lomelda are on a good track to achieve that.
