Hat Fitz and Cara are back with a new full-length album Hand it Over. Their fifth studio album showcases high-proficiency in blending elements of bluegrass, folk, blues and country.
The album opens with ‘Step Up’, the guitar intro has a lovely serenity before it unfolds into the slow bluesy groove on the rest of the track, almost conjuring images of getting up off a quite beach, then cruising down a highway to bring the listener into the album.
‘Hold on’, the lead single of the track showcases Cara’s wailing vocals, with a heartfelt chant through it that even the most stoic will surely be singing along to with their hearts on sleaves after a few beers at any bar this song is played in.
‘Trimmed & Burning’ is a heavy nod to the origins of blues, Hat Fitz sounds like he swallowed a cup of gravel to channel Leadbelly on this track, the old school twangy guitar is picked intricately and Cara’s lighter tones in the vocals bring strong balance to the piece.
The album closes with ‘Unbound’, in which Cara’s voice floats along in a solemn manner, against which the plucking of a banjo sticks out in a really interesting, yet relaxing way.
This album strikes a balance between harder, forward leaning blues on some tracks, and a slower solemnity in others that keeps the mood of the album interesting, and the analogue feel of the music brings a warm timeless presence to the recordings that would make feel as if it could have been enjoyed just as much seventy years ago as it could be today.
4/5
Rhythm Section
Reviewed by Liam Mcnally
