Making mixtapes for friends was an active hobby for those of us working in college radio back in the day. Turns out hoping to broaden someone else’s musical horizons wasn’t unique to FM DJ’s, and the mixtape, albeit no longer a tape, is still thriving. So it’s kind of heartwarming that even musicians find inspiration in this common medium. LA songstress Hannah Connolly credits a tape (well, a CD) from her godfather for influencing her songwriting practice and the lengthy catalog she has created. From that library she culled 10 songs for her latest record, Shadowboxing.
Overall the album drifts back and forth across the centerline of folk rock. The rock lane is anchored by Stuck in Place, featuring Connolly’s airy vocals and some lo-fi guitar work in a tune about learning to live in the moment. Tired of Trying is straight ahead, driving rock with a lot more amperage in the vocals. It’s lyrically and sonically a bit of a temper tantrum about losing patience. Golden is driven more by the drums, with a touch of island beat. The introspection is well-framed by the admission that it “took me 30 years to become someone I liked.”
The folk part of the record stretches from the pop of the drum machine-laden Brothers in the Same Dream to an acoustic Worth the Wait. Wait is a nod to life as a musician when your boyfriend is also in a band and tour schedules don’t leave a lot of together time. Party Is Over sounds a little like a waltz soundtrack to a 1920’s movie. Connolly uses the knowledge that “they’re waiting on us to go home” and “I’m sailing away on your charm” to weave a vivid scene of a couple in love. The CD finishes with Rushing By, an all-too-true story about how her parents’ love endured through the tragedy of her brother’s death. The song starts as a straightforward folk number, but builds into a chorale piece with layered strings and piano that lend a heavenly feel.
The world is full of singer-songwriters with an acoustic guitar playing a coffee shop near you. I’m not mad at that, but it can be tough to stand out in the crowd. Hannah Connolly has a knack for telling semi-autobiographical stories that secret a much broader appeal. Add to that her soaring voice and a drive to stretch her musical envelope and she leaves a unique imprint. Shadowboxing certainly reinforces that.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.