Move over, Charles Kuralt. Havalina Rail Co. have embarked on a wild road trip exploring the highways and byways of traditional American musical forms. Despite some canceled tours in the past, the band in fact, travel and play a lot and they've drawn on their cross-country experiences to create something both rooted in tradition yet utterly unique to their signature sound. It's clear the band are steeped in knowledge of and experience in myriad musical forms, but use their collective interests to create something unlike anything you've heard before. Their latest effort, America is a strange, fully fascinating, and altogether aspiring trip spread out over twenty-four diverse tracks. If their mission is to reinvent traditional styles of American music, then this album marks their most successful effort to date.
Havalina Rail Co. are one of the most clever and interesting bands to grace the nineties, and rivaled only by Daniel Amos and the Danielson Familie for the title of Christian music's most eccentric band. Sporting over seventy-minutes of music, America is their fourth and most ambitious album to date. The songs range from quirky, little instrumentals featuring fast and furious bluegrass guitar picking and assorted radio samples, all the way to full-grown song structures ranging from surf rock and fifties rock and roll to mexicali blues and whimsical country hybrids. Not to mention jazz, zydeco, hip-hop, swamp rock, funk, and bizarro bluegrass. The number of styles the band touches on is nearly as diverse as the honored nation's various ecological systems. In fact, even within songs, like "Bullfrog," the band changes styles and moods so many times, it's like having three songs for the price of one. You would think that incorporating so many styles would lead to musical schizophrenia, yet Havalina manage to pull it off well. The overall effect works as a pleasing whole with definite peppy, upbeat overtones that never bum you out and always leave you smiling. Some instances approach the breathtaking beauty and grandeur of the Grand Canyon, and ultimately the United States of America is celebrated in all its finest.
Among the many highlights are "Borris the Milkman" which ennobles an insignificant Russian immigrant who quietly leaves the milk and collects his pay. This funky number is anything but insignificant, however, and its Hee Haw meets Soul Train sound is foot tapping and smile inducing. "Puerco Chico" immortalizes Los Angeles with messy, mexicali aplomb. "Flower in the Desert" is a blisteringly fast bluegrass love song with clever lyrics, and "Feeling Green" is an absurd instrumental mix of organ and hip-hop. As the title suggests, "Let's Not Forget Hawaii" employs tasteful Hawaiian guitar tones and a catchy chorus to create a happy luau. If you are looking for more "inspirational" content, you'll have to settle for the raucous rock of "Devil in the Cornfield," about an encounter with an itinerant evangelist, and the album's closer "Keep Smil'n," which anticipates Jesus' triumphal return.
The production is topnotch, the sound is clear and full, and the packaging and art are playful. Lyrics are unfortunately not included. Although the album's variety is excellent and entertaining, some of the songs themselves are overlong, requiring more patience from the listener than expected from a more polished pop album. Another producer might have trimmed a few of these parts to create a shorter, more accessible album. Havalina, however, hardly concern themselves with being "accessible," and this album's merits should earn them another batch of devoted fans, regardless. You won't need a map for this road trip, but you're sure to enjoy the sights and sounds.
4.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
Opus 2000Reviewed by Jason MoreheadThere's an inherent desire in people to travel. Maybe it's to see if the grass is greener on the other side, or just to pick up crappy little souvenirs to give your friends. Whatever drives it, it's there. For example, just the other day, my friend and I were talking about driving across America on the great Interstate 80, visiting small towns and getting into the sort of crazy adventures they…7ball #27Reviewed by J. Edward KeyesWhile some bands are content to languish within familiar constraints until they collapse under their own weight, Havalina Rail Co. rebuilds themselves from scratch with each release. On America, the band's fourth record, the wagons head West, mining early American music for inspiration. The California sextet sounds a good deal more relaxed than they did on the chilly Russian Lullabies. Where that…Decapolis 1999Reviewed by ConradInteresting retro country rock. This album was highly enjoyable to listen to. It's like listening to a road trip. The singing and lyrics kept you attuned to every word he sang. I would say about a third of it was upbeat enough for me to listen to a few times. The slower stuff, while very good, is just not my cup of tea. If you don't mind slower songs, these songs will still interest you. In all,…Decapolis 1999Reviewed by Tom BastianThis band is definitely creative. They have been around for quite a while, but I have never really gotten into them too much. I have heard most of their releases but nothing they have put out so far has really done much for me. As far as this release goes, I definitely think this is their best effort yet, and what a great concept. They pretty much give the listener a musical tour of America, yet…Decapolis 1999Reviewed by TimWell, these guys are creative. It's rock 'n roll that sounds like it should have been played some 40 years ago. The melodies aren't that catchy, and the guitar is very basic traditional stuff....but overall, it makes for great mix of old rock 'n roll, with influences from the late 90s. C+Decapolis 1999Reviewed by Matt R.Continuing with their thematic album approach, Havalina this time takes the listener on a tour of the land of the free and the home of the brave. Anyone who has traveled the country or read such books as John Steinbeck's "Travels With Charley" or Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" can appreciate the adventure and the diversity of this record. Musically the record is a departure from their last, as each…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Israel KlossWith their latest release, America, Havalina Rail Company presents the listener with a veritable cornucopia of traditional and original American musical styles. This 24-song concept album begins in the typical unique and quirky style that has endeared Havalina to their equally quirky fan-base for years. They are one of the longest lasting fringe bands in Christian music today. America runs the…Similar sounding releases
2003Erik Brandt / The Urban Hillbilly QuartetThe A-List (1995-2001)
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2004Tammany Hall MachineTammany Hall Machine
1998DanielsonTri-Danielson!!! (Alpha)
1997Ben HarperThe Will To Live
2005FatigoMensoMore from Havalina Rail Co.
1997Russian Lullabies
2001A Bullfighter's Guide to Space and Love
2002Space, Love & Bullfighting
1994Havalina Rail Co.
