As 2021 progresses and efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic continue, music fans are slowly but surely starting to see more music acts announce tentative new live dates around the world. That is a hopeful sign about where the world stands today in the ongoing battle against the pandemic. One of the many acts out there that has announced some new tentative dates is the neo-classic rock band, Heavy Feather. The band has tentative live dates scheduled right now, in July and September. Those dates are in support of the band’s forthcoming sophomore album, Mountain of Sugar. Scheduled for release Friday through The Sign Records, the 11-song record is among the best of this year’s new releases in the neo-classic rock realm. That is proven through the album’s musical and lyrical content from beginning to end. One of the songs that best exemplifies how that combined content makes the record so appealing comes early in the album in the form of ‘Love Will Come Easy.’ It will be discussed shortly. ‘Sometimes I Feel,’ which comes much later in the record’s 37-minute run time is another prime example of what makes Heavy Feather’s new album stand out. It will be discussed a little later. ‘Let It Shine,’ which serves as the album’s midpoint, is one more example of what makes the album stand out. It will also be discussed later. All three songs noted here are important in their own way to the whole of this new offering from Heavy Feather. When they are considered with the rest of the album’s entries, it is possible to say that the album is not perfect (there is some redundancy in some of the arrangements), but is still a positive new offering from the band that shows promise for the band’s future.
Heavy Feather’s sophomore album, Mountain of Sugar, is a presentation that stoner rock and neo-classic rock fans alike will agree is worth hearing at least once. That is proven from beginning to end of the 37-minute album through its musical and lyrical content alike. It is not a perfect album, but does boast its own share of engaging and entertaining content. One of the most notable of the album’s songs comes early in the album in the form of ‘Love Will Come Easy.’ The song’s musical arrangement immediately lends itself to comparisons to some of the greatest of Janis Joplin’s works. That is proven through the bluesy, fuzzed guitar line at the song’s center and through the sound of singer Lisa Lystam’s voice. Her vocal delivery, both in sound and style, is so much like that of Joplin, and in the best way possible. There is even something in the rich, raw sound from the drums and bass that enhances the song’s presentation even more. The whole makes the arrangement in whole such a pleasant work. The lyrical content that accompanies the song’s musical arrangement creates its own engagement and entertainment.
The lyrical theme featured in ‘Love Will Come Easy’ is a direct mirror image of its title. It is a song about someone looking for love. That is made relatively clear early on as Lystam sings, “I’m surrounded by folks/Thinking, am I good enough?/I’m pouring my heart out to get your smile…Why don’t you love me/Just tell me why.” Thanks to the record’s production and Lystam’s unique vocal delivery style and sound, some of that lead verse is difficult to decipher sans lyrics to reference. That aside, enough of the song is still understandable to the point that the noted theme is made relatively clear. That final statement, asking, “Why don’t you love me/Just tell me why” is that pleading, showing that soon that this is just someone who is desperate to be loved. Lystam continues in the song’s chorus, adding, “I know/Love will come easy.” So again, that theme is certified even more. The song continues in similar fashion in the song’s second verse, so there is no reason to continue from here. The point being that this is a song that is, again, simple. It is a person who is going through the thoughts and emotions of someone who just wants to have that special someone. It is a fully accessible lyrical presentation that when paired with the energy in the song’s musical arrangement makes the song overall that much more appealing. The two elements do well together here and make the song just one example of what makes the song and album stand out. ‘Sometimes I Feel,’ which comes later in the album’s run, is another example of the record’s strength.
The musical arrangement featured in ‘Sometimes I Feel’ immediately lends itself to comparisons to the best works of The Allman Brothers Band right from its outset. That is made clear through the specific twang in the guitar line, the use of the keyboards, and the rich, raw sound of the drums. Guitarist Mate Gustaffson takes over vocal duties here, sounding just as rough and welcome as the late, great Duane Allman. The whole makes obvious why this song was released in February as one more of the album’s singles. It is a composition in whole that is just as good as anything from The Allman Brothers Band and any compositions from any of Heavy Feather’s contemporaries within the roots rock/neo-classic realm. When that content is paired with the song’s lyrical content, the song gains even more traction.
While not all of the song’s lyrical content is clear without a lyrics sheet to reference, what can be inferred from the understandable content, the song’s lyrical content would seem to focus on someone reflecting on a relationship with another. That comes as Gustaffson sings, “Sometimes I feel/Like you belong/Sometimes I feel like I’m standing here alone/Sometimes I feel/Like something went wrong/Like all the memories we shared are just gone.” This is all taken from the song’s chorus. The second verse opens with Gustaffson’s subject making note of a woman rolling her eyes at the man during a discussion between the pair, adding, “I need something safe to depend on.” Again when this is set alongside the content in the song’s chorus, it can be relatively easily inferred, again. When one considers the mood set through the song’s musical arrangement, it makes for even more reason to believe that this song is, again, a story of someone who is looking back on perhaps a broken relationship, which is itself an all too familiar lyrical topic. That means the song’s lyrical content is just as accessible to audiences as the song’s musical content. What’s more, the two elements together make the song another clear example of why Heavy Feather’s noted audiences will appreciate this song and the album in whole. Keeping all of this in mind, ‘Sometimes I Feel’ is just one more example of why roots rock and neo-classic rock fans will find Heavy Feather’s new album appealing. ‘Let It Shine’ is yet another example of what makes the record successful.
‘Let It Shine’ is the most contemplative song featured Heavy Feather’s new album. Lystam’s vocal delivery and the reserved guitar performance makes this song so controlled and subtle in its performance. Audiences do not even need the song’s equally brooding lyrical content to be impacted. That is how strong the song’s musical arrangement proves in the long run. Speaking of that noted lyrical content, it will resonate with listeners just as much as the song’s musical arrangement.
The lyrical theme featured in ‘Let It Shine’ is certain to engage listeners because it is not as clear in its language as much of the album’s other lyrical content. Lystam sings here of a person shining “over us.” From that one line, it has to be inferred that the song is meant as a tribute to someone no longer here. It would also make the line noting how the person was “like a bird who flew away/but didn’t find its way.” She even adds that “still you fly over us.” So yet again, the song seems to be a eulogy of sorts for someone close to either her or the band in whole. The metaphorical language that Lystam uses here is similar to that of language in other songs about someone who has died, so if in fact that is the topic at the song’s heart, then such language along with the song’s topic will certainly connect with listeners and tug at their heart strings, creating a deep emotional impact on listeners. That impact is increased when the moving message is paired with the noted musical arrangement. The two items together make this song even clearer in regards to what makes Mountain of Sugar. When this song and the others examined here are considered along with the rest of the album’s entries, the record in whole proves to be a presentation that while not perfect, does still show some promise for Heavy Feather’s future within the neo-classic/roots rock and rock communities overall.
Heavy Feather’s sophomore album Mountain of Sugar is an overall enjoyable new presentation from the up-and-coming roots/neo-classic rock band. It is a presentation that will appeal to the band’s target audiences, which includes its established audience base, as well as those who already are fans of the noted rock subgenres. That is proven collectively through the record’s musical and lyrical content. All three of the songs examined here serve to support the noted statements. When they are considered with the rest of the album’s songs, the whole makes the album in whole proof that Heavy Feather has a promising future. Mountain of Sugar is scheduled for release Friday through The Sign Records. More information on Mountain of Sugar is available along with all of Heavy Feather’s latest news at:
Website: https://heavyfeatherofficial.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeavyFeatherRock
To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.worpress.com.
philspicks 