The Pine Hill Haints - The Song Companion of a Lonestar Cowboy

 

Yep, pretty much any time I've seen the Haints, they have had a new record out, and last weeks' show was no exception, so I had to grab it! I've been a fan of their "ghost music" since I first heard them and every record has been a keeper, and this is another goodie!

This CD comes with a simple cardboard sleeve with no info other than the song titles and the cover art, so I'm not sure who is accompanying Jamie and Katie, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is essentially the same configuration that was here in town, although that sounds like JD Wilkes' harmonica wailin' on a number of the tunes.

This 15 song set starts off with Jamie's distinctive guitar riffin' which brings the band in on a gallopin' beat for "Fall Asleep", that sounds to me like the story of the album title's "lonestar cowboy". "Back to Alabama" is another upbeat bluesy/cowpunk/Americana number as only the Haints do, then they do a groovin' interpretation of Bo Diddley's "Pretty Thing" (where that band got their name, of course) with (I believe) Wilkes blowin' some fine harp, they bop thru the jazzy blues of "Satchel Paige Blues" with more help from Wilkes, "John Henry" is given a marchin' drum and fiddle treatment, there's a bit of zydeco in the cowboy tale, "Lone Star Kid", while "Drop and Fall" has a vaguely 50-ish feel mixed into their brew.

The short'n'sweet "Midnight Mayor" continues with a bit of 50's stylings, then they give an extended, individualistic workout on Muddy Waters' "Catfish Blues", highlighted by saw'n'harp! "Fighting For the Wrong Side" has more of an accordion-fueled, Americana feel, "Stare at the Fire", with additional atmospheric accordion, sounds like you should be singing it around the campfire (hence the title, I suppose), "Louise" seems almost like an update on "Corina, Corina", the staccato "Downtown Blues" brings in some Dixieland jazz via a hip trombone/harmonica duo, while "Wade in the Water" is cooly moody with spooky saw working against the minor chords, and they close out with a fiddle-led cajun waltz in "Tithy Dunbar".

If you know the Haints - and you should - then you know that this is another one that you should own. If you don't but you dig early Americana/zydeco/blues/etc., then you should certainly find this and see them the next time they come to town!