Under a whiskey moon by Hell's 1/2 Acre

Wanchic could be the fairy godmother who turns Hells 1/2 Acre from a fun, talented regional touring act into a group we get to hear on our car stereos. If for nothing else, this CD is wonderful for the ironic and perky death-row song "Kindness of Strangers" about a bad man who can't see that he's bad, and "One Lonely Night" where the protagonist tries to win his love by comparing her to Eva Braun and a hooker in an alleyway. If country radio had any cojones or sense of humor, they'd play this CD. Get the CD, enjoy it as much as I have, and help stick it to The Man. (4 STARS) " -- CLINT WEATHERS

ALL MUSIC GUIDE:

On the follow-up to their 2003 debut Blacktops & Blackouts, Louisville's Hell's Half Acre have undergone a kind of musical transformation. While their first outing was a boisterous, drunkabilly, cowpunk vision of excess, Under a Whiskey Moon offers a deeper, wider approach to American music. The songs by frontman John Woosley and bassist Rankin Mapother here reflect a wider, varied palette. One can hear the Faces, and the early-1970's era Rolling Stones in their countrified roots rock. That's not to say that Hell's Half Acre have given up writing about getting drunk, getting high, or raising hell; they just do it differently. With John Mellencamp's guitarist Mike Wanchic at the production helm - and the album being cut in Bloomington, IN rather than Louisville, KY, the sensibilities are striking, more urgent, wonderfully melodic, less frivolous, but no less raw and rockin' an attack. There are guests in the mix as well, such as Andy York from Jason & the Scorchers and Tupac session keyboard player Moe Z.M.D., and cellist Peter Searcy. In case you are raising your eyebrows about this last cat, he's the most punk of all, having done time with everyone from Squirrel Bait to Big Wheel. Standout tracks include "Doctor Please," "Silver Dollar," "One Lonely Night," "Big Black Car," and "Lonesome River." A very solid sophomore effort. - Thom Jurek

ALT COUNTRY NL : (Netherlands)

"Hell's Half Acre's debuteerde in 2003 met de cd Blacktops & Blackouts. In de recensie vroeg Altcountry.nl voor een volgende release om 'nog iets meer vuur'. Op de nieuwe cd Under A Whiskey Moon worden wij op onze wenken bediend. De band uit Louisville, Kentucky heeft duidelijk andere wegen gezocht: in plaats van door rockabilly beïnvloedde cowpunk horen we nu vooral rootsrock met country-invloeden. Denk daarbij aan the Drive-By Truckers, the Bottle Rockets en Slobberbone. Voor de opnames van de cd werd producer Mike Wanchic - voormalig gitarist en producer van John Mellencamp - ingehuurd. Dus horen we op de meeste songs de enige echte Jack & Diane-gitaar! De voornamelijk door zanger-gitarist John Woosley en bassist Rankin Mapother geschreven nummers zullen het goed doen op een zaterdagavond, in de plaatselijke honkytonk, met een glas whiskey of een fles bier erbij. Opener Silver Dollar heeft een lekker zuigende B-3 (gespeeld door Moe Z MD: Wallflowers, Tupac Shakur), Kindness Of Strangers een rinkelende Byrds-gitaar, Doctor Please een fraaie National 12-string, Somewhere een sprankelende pedal steel. Op Big Black Car en Here's To Me voeren loeiende elektrische gitaren de boventoon. Toch zijn we niet helemaal tevreden. In het rustiger Lonesome River probeert Woosley te mooi te zingen, en hadden we ook wel zonder de (tegenwoordig bijna onvermijdelijke) cello gekund. Het jazzy slotnummer Missing You valt hier volkomen uit de toon en is zelfs na een hele fles whiskey en een sixpack bier nog niet te pruimen. Dus houden we het ook deze keer op drie paardjes. (PEER BATAILLE)"

MILES OF MUSIC:

Hell's 1/2 Acre - Under A Whiskey Moon  "Insurgent cowpunks Hell's Half Acre reconvene their clever variety of influences for this evolved follow up to 2003's Blacktops & Blackouts. Taking off from the band's rockabilly roots down gravelly roads, skimming tear-stained bar tops and breaking bottles Under A Whiskey Moon, these tunes have a more rough-hewn, melodic jangle-pop sound overall. Passionate vocalist John Woosley handles everything from smooth, engaging twang-pop to bluesy swagger. The raspy warmth and tongue twister lyrics of "Kindness Of Strangers" conjure an alt country Elvis Costello, while Woosley's breathy honesty color the glittering acoustic groove of "One Lonely Night". The band's nimble, driving twang-pop progressions have at once an urgency and an ease, brought out by Mike Wanchic's production (longtime producer for John Mellencamp)"

Band Members:

Little John Louie: Vocals/Guitar

Screamin' John Hawkins: Lead guitar

Rankin Mapother: Bass/Upright Bass

Glen Howerton: Drums

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