Americana is a curious genre. Treading a fine line between country, folk and rock, it embraces traditional instrumentation while re-shaping the Ole Opry style for a more contemporary blend. Incorporating pastoral country, Mamas & Papas harmony work, banjo, violin and pop into their songs, this most American of amalgams finds willing adulation in the hands of The Self Help Group.
Released on Union Music Store Records, a small but sturdy bastion of folk/bluegrass/country magic, TSHG have already gained an ‘absolutely wonderful’ from the immortal Bob Harris. Harris is the gatekeeper, which renders my review arbitrary. There is much to commend this record, but it is missing one key aspect. Read on.
Not Waving Just Drowning opens with a radio being tuned and some light gypsy-esque clapping, Needles sets the stall out nicely, with robust 3 part harmonies and delicate brush work. There’s a lot going on here; glockenspiel, acoustic guitar, violin, cello, banjo-none of which clamour for front of house. A confidence permeates this work. Early on, The Rapture stands out for its glorious chorus and charming lyrical content.
There are shreds of many bands in this mix-the harmonic confidence of Counting Crows, the solidity of Wilco, the suggestiveness of Calexico. On tracks like Kings, there exists a certain phoned-in smugness, like the band aren’t really trying as much. Luckily, this is not sustained. Jerome & Irving and the extremely well-presented Fifth Man On The Moon save the record from any sort of plunge into mediocrity, and the harmony work remains extremely tight.
A definite highlight of the record is Prisoner, which rightly stands out thanks to its clipped, syncopated vocal delivery. Bereft of the same joie de vivre as other tracks on the record, this labours under the weight of its own sadness, sounding for all the world like the protagonist is genuinely frightened. Not frightened for their life, frightened of their life.
After only three listens, I was humming the melodies of the first few tracks. After five listens, I was still humming the melodies of the first few tracks. The production is pleasant, well balanced and considered. The material is pleasant, well balanced and considered. The problem with this record is that it’s so flat – there is nothing truly remarkable about it. The stamp of individuality remains absent.
This is the rub with Not Waving Just Drowning. No matter how many times I listen to it, the first few records stick in the mind (as does Prisoner), but even with that in mind, there isn’t enough to hold onto. This is particularly upsetting as there is much to like about this record; the songs are well thought out, the vocals well orchestrated, the flow decisive. Maybe it’s the production, which is so well balanced that, as the album wears on, you forget that you’re listening to it. It doesn’t demand anything of the listener – there are no moments of surprise, and while sudden shock is not the be-all-and-end-all, the beauty isn’t deep enough to stick. Chiefly responsible for this are the vocals. In no way a slight against their obvious ability. The vocals come at you in a solid block, unyielding in their measure. This is the unrelenting barrier to enjoying the record.
The Self Help Group have, unwittingly, created an incredibly frustrating album. They know their work, they know their musical onions, but there’s not enough separation between the various elements to give them their own weight. The production seems to give every single instrument the same tonality, which is an incredibly hard thing to achieve, even more so because no producer should want this to be an accomplishment. With this in mind, please understand that the band have only sold themselves short sonically, not compositionally or thematically.
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