mp3 320 kbps | 104 MB | UL | UA
Scott Hrabko is a modern bluesman. Based in Kansas City, he draws from both the metropolitan and rural surroundings of his home, while taking influence from the extensive American South through backroads, endless valleys and sun-drenched dry land. Yet, despite his more organic sound of nowadays, Scott’s roots lie in the eclectic late 80s local DIY rock scene, providing a basis for the strong guitar lines that exist throughout this record. But following his time in band The Splinters it wasn’t an immediate decision to go solo. In fact, his long-awaited debut solo album ‘Gone Places’ only saw the light of day last year, but the respected local musician is already back with a new album, this time in collaboration with his band The Rabbits. ‘Biscuits & Gravity’, with the help of bandmates Josh Arnold and Emily Tummons, came to fruition on January 24th of this year and features ten carefully curated tracks of rock solid American music.
From classic country opener ‘Died And Gone To Heaven’, complete with a throwback harmony style reminiscent of the 1960s Nashville Sound, to the grittier, Earthier grooves of electric blues track ‘I Dreamed I Quit My Job’, Scott is very good at interpreting the cultural origins of his home. The addition of his fellow musicians, too, allows for a more musically varied record than he perhaps would otherwise be capable of, with more input both on influence and on instrumentation/vocal support. Travelling through this album like on a historic journey along Route 66 or something similar, we are greeted with the likes of European-esque ditty ‘Donnez-Moi’, complete with a French chorus and a dynamic accordion line, and the Celtic-inspired, Appalachian lament of ‘California Got My Baby’, before circling back to the simple acoustic blues of ‘Son of The Valley of The Blues’.
Throughout Scott’s soulful and personable vocals guide us, Clapton-esque licks in ‘Ordinary Guy’ juxtaposed against the Michael Hurley cover ‘O My Stars’ (originally released in 1980, paying heed to Scott’s earlier days in the business), but always gathered together under that voice, both sonic and artistic, as that modern day bluesman situated in the heart of the United States. His fascination with all the different strands of American music results in a very enjoyable record that makes sense as a narrative, with a beginning, middle and end illustrated by simple stories of love, life and heartbreak. In fact, ‘Biscuits & Gravity’ could even perhaps be seen as a tribute, throwing light and color onto subgenres of music that more often than not have been lost in years gone by, at least in part. His experience allows him a unique perspective that goes beyond a cheap imitation to making these styles his own, and the fact that he describes himself as “criminally obscure” career-wise is a testament both to his humble nature and also to how some gems just get lost in the noise of today.