Haley Bonar “Big Star” Review
Afternoon Records describes Haley Bonar’s new album as “like a Cormac McCarthy short story: simple on the intake, but revealing universal truths with a powerful emotional impact as it sinks in.” Never mind that McCarthy doesn’t write short stories, the quote is quite correct in establishing that Big Star demands more than just a passing listen. While Bonar’s fourth album is at first glance a wistful and (slightly) more upbeat follow-up to 2006′s Lure the Fox, upon a closer examination, darker themes of frustration are apparent.
In the album’s best moments Bonar captures the nuances of human emotion in her lyrics, which like many of our own thoughts and feelings, resists easy explanation. Songs like “Arms of Harm,” “Little Maiden Gin,” and “Tiger Boy” challenge the listener to guess the meaning behind such cryptic subtleties. They still resonate though, thanks to the passion and honesty behind Bonar’s lovely vocals. Her superb alto sounds effortless—whether Bonar is being playfully free spirited or mournfully sad (more often the latter).
While it’s bouncy twang on “Highway 16″ isn’t necessarily a lyrical tour de force the track serves as Bonar’s return to alt-country and adds a little fun to the album as well. Much of Big Star has an undeniably poppier sound than earlier work, though due to superb production by Tchad Blake, Bonar’s Badlands roots are still there—just delicately understated by a rich complexity of keyboard, guitar, and bass. This is most apparent in “Green Eyed Boy” or the self titled track “Big Star,” each with intricate arrangements of mellotron in addition to electric and acoustic guitars.
Overall Big Star is a very mature and compelling production, all made even more fascinating by the fact that Bonar is still only twenty four years old. Time will only tell whether the songstress becomes a “big star” in her own right, but for the time being this record is a solid stride in the right direction.
Haley Bonar “Big Star” [MP3]
