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Todd Hannigan & The Heavy 29s
Volume 2: Courtside for the Apocalypse
Indie
Todd Hannigan and the Heavy 29s's Courtside for the Apocalypse fits into the recent crop of laid-back Americana most recently popularized by Jack Johnson, but Courtside offers a pleasant surprise—a blend of country twang and surf style that combines the strongest elements of both genres for a unique flavor of hybrid rock. Reminiscent of Mark Knopfler's Golden Heart, Nick Drake's Five Leaves Left, and the Grateful Dead's American Beauty, Hannigan's Courtside for the Apocalypse extends what he began with Volume 1, but with a lot more personality.
Hannigan combines quiet vocals with crisp guitars and poetic storytelling, like the surf trip in "Playas" the gentle advice in "Fastlane," and the train wreck in "Mountain View." "Courtside For The Apocalypse" is a siren call for a road trip. Don't be alarmed by the yodeling on "Heavy 29s;" it borders on a Jimmy Buffet ballad and overall is actually quite good. "Maybe" and "Stay Awhile" swing back toward Nick Drake lullabies, but offer more hope. "Still in Your Heart" is a reminder of where the important stuff is stashed. Hannigan adds political themes to several tracks, including "Things Are Gonna Change," "Weight Of The World," and the enigmatic "Flowers;" and "Too Late" reminds me of Pink Floyd's melancholia: "Sprinkle me in the ocean / not in the grave"
I didn't expect surf-cowboy when I put it in my player, but Courtside For The Apocalypse is like a fine book of short stories, essays, and poems.
Both surfboard and horse are welcome at my house.
—Lyn Dunagan
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