Little Hurricane’s New Album is Golden

Chicago – A few years ago, the whirlwind known as Little Hurricane showered the music scene with their explosive dirty blues. Homewrecker, the duo’s debut album, was filled with fabulous slide guitar, throaty vocals, and energetic drumming. Guitarist Anthony “Tone” Catalano and drummer Celeste “CC” Spina were often compared to The White Stripes, but with a sound more akin to The Black Keys. Perhaps most thrilling about this record was its ability to not only put a modern twist on a truly original American genre, but also for its ability to widen the musical spectrum of younger generations.

The San Diego-based twosome are back with their sophomore album, Gold Fever. This album is more about the storytelling and less about making killer guitar riffs to pair with Tone’s rough bellows. Don’t fret, though, there’s still plenty of grit to be found, with horns and strings to boot, but the gold is in ‘dem der lyrics! Inspiration was surely abundant during the two weeks Tone and CC spent in an old gold mining town in Southern California, recording on vintage equipment in a sweltering 19^th century house, throughout a summer heat wave. The sultry, stickiness can be heard in the music, often in Tone’s softer singing, adding a little sweetness to songs like “Upside Down.” With this slower, simpler tune, Little Hurricane demonstrate that they’ve grown as artists, as they take the time to let the lyrics tell the story and take center stage. Tone beautifully sings: “You ever wonder what it’s like to see the world in another’s eyes. You should try it sometime. It might just save you.” This is precisely what Tone and CC have done. They’ve managed to create musical yarns decorated with their lo-fi bluesy-rock.

“Breathe” is a charming duet, with backing vocals and harmonica that create a dreamy texture, setting the stage for a tale of a bruised soul in love. The chemistry between CC and Tone is simply magical. In “Sheep in Wolves Clothes,” Tone’s guitar pulls you in with its beautiful melody, while CC comes in slowly with a beat that begins to build up. Tone’s voice breaks in, full of emotion, in turn filling you with emotion as the song bursts, becoming louder and louder. You feel the song in every inch of your being, as he sings: “From your head down to your toes, you’re a sheep in wolves clothes.”

The horns in “Boiling Water” explode like bubbling water in a scalding pot, adding depth to Tone’s words: “Boiling water’s in your veins, slowly driving you insane.” A track more reminiscent of their first album is “Bones.” It starts off with Tone playing guitar to the opener: “Hope is lost without you here.” This sexy guitar soaked love song will make your heart flutter.

One of the more mighty, yet tragic narratives is “Sorry Son.” CC puts herself in her parents’ shoes, writing about her brother’s addiction from their perspective. You can feel the pain in the lyrics; the drumming and the strings add to the sentiment. At one point, CC hits hard, powerfully battling the violins, playing out a musical brawl symbolic of the struggle between parents and son, both wounded by dependency. A more playful song is the title track “Gold Fever.” This delightful gold rush tale utilizes that spark between the frisky duo, as they sing some witty banter. Tone slyly avows: “You say you see that gold in my eyes. It’s determination, baby. Eyes on the prize!” To which CC rebuts: “Call it what you want, our cupboards are bare. Sick of sitting, waiting here for you and our share.” The harmonica and the harmonizing between CC and Tone amplify this amusing song.

“Grand Canyon” brings Gold Fever to a fierce close, with Tone’s stouthearted guitar embodying their signature dirty blues. This song, reminiscent of days gone by, talks of the lengths we go to for love, facetiously proclaiming to jump the Grand Canyon out of pure devotion. This song will coax you into dancing and clapping along to the beat… it may even draw your near to that special someone you just cannot live without.

Gold Fever leaves you happy to have been caught in Little Hurricane’s tempestuous path.

Little Hurricane is set to release their new album on April 29, 2014. You can pre-order Gold Fever now on iTunes or at www.littlehurricanemusic.com. You can also catch Little Hurricane on their first headlining tour this summer

(Photo credit: Rebecca Joelson)

About
Latest Posts

Sarah Hess

At the age of six, Sarah Hess discovered True Blue by Madonna. This resulted in her spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush microphone, belting out "La Isla Bonita" off key. Her love for music only intensified over the years thanks to her parents; her mother exposed Sarah to The Jackson Five and had her hustling to the Bee Gees, while her father would play her albums like 'Pet Sounds' and 'Some Girls' from start to finish, during which he'd lecture on and on about the history of rock & roll. Sarah would eventually stumble upon rap and hip-hop, then punk and alternative, and fall madly in love with Jeff Buckley and film photography.

After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.

You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.