A Hawk And A Hacksaw

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4...according to our Phil on Thu 10 Feb, 2011.

Das Hawk A Hacksaw are back with their 5th album! Cervantine is the first release on their own catchily titled LM Duplication label. The CD's look pretty sweet in nice foldy out style Letterpress looking packaging. Nice! They're out folking themselves here on this album with this pretty much taking every folk style on board (Spanish, Mexican, Romanian, Yugoslavian & Greek!). That's a lot of different styles of folk to blend into a coherent album but if there's troupe of loons who can do it, it's A Hawk & A Hacksaw. The album features Chris & Stephanie Hldadowski again, respectively on bouzouki and vocal duties. Chris you may know as being in The Family Elan (who's last album we gave album of the week to) and Stephane has had a 10" out on Singing Knives). The songs are chirpy and lively but they're not as stick in your mind as Delivrance. But the way all differing styles of global folk music are blended is astonishing and it's really 2nd to none. I can't think of anyone out there doing this and if there is anyone I'm reasonably sure they're not doing it half as well as these guys (and gals!). If you get the chance to see them live then do go as I saw them live twice on the last tour and they're a riot!

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Following a series of albums exploring Eastern European folk music influence that have thrilled indie and world audiences alike, Albuquerque, New Mexico s A Hawk and A Hacksaw present Cervantine, their first release on their own new label, LM Dupli-cation, a record that gloriously connects their deep fascination with the folk and gypsy groups of former Yugoslavia, Greece and Romania with their actual home in the desert plains of the American Southwest. The group s natural blend of diverse global musical styles with their indie rock background lends them the kind of cross-audience appeal enjoyed by bands including Fools Gold, Beirut and Calexico, while their strong sense of musicality and cultural context draws more left-field listeners to them as well. Recorded live at their studio in Albuquerque between two US tours, Cervantine is the vibrant sound of an American band whose geographical and cultural travels bear on their already distinctive music. The 20th century brought the influence of Spanish and Mexican music to Eastern European gypsy folk, and Cervantine celebrates the reflected resonance of this influence in modern-day New Mexico. Alongside the core duo of Jeremy Barnes and Heather Trost, the album features key contributions from the immensely talented Hladowski siblings Stephanie (vocals) and her brother Chris (bouzouki) from Bradford, England, via Poland, who can be heard on album standouts Mana Thelo Enan Andra, Cervantine and the Turkish classic Uskudar. The original composition Espanola Kolo probably best represents the Spanish / Mexican impression on Serbian brass music that A Hawk and A Hacksaw have embraced an homage to the extraordinary New Mexico town of Espanola and a Yugoslav Kolo dance, designed for long nights of drinking and dancing. Fifth album from New Mexico duo of Jeremy Barnes and Heather Trost Debut proper release on the band s own label, with many more to follow! CD comes in recycled cardbord digipack Vinyl includes free digital download card Their music was recently featured in the critically acclaimed film Exit Through the Gift Shop by Banksy

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