Northern
Hustle – Forgether (Independent)
If there’s one thing that Northern Hustle doesn’t
lack, it’s vision. Formed by the Arizona-based duo Drew Dunlap and Jon Malfabon,
“Forgether” is the first album in what will be a trilogy of releases, which
tells the story of one character’s development, how they live their life, and
the relationships they form. Funded by Kickstarter, their friends and fans
obviously shared their confidence in the project, and they’ve been rewarded
with a collection of songs that come together extremely well. As for the story
aspect, it certainly encourages serious listening, and a visit to the group’s
website gains access to lyric sheets and additional artwork.
Upon its release, the lead single “Homestead” grabbed lots of attention amongst local press
and radio programmes. It’s hardly surprising – their idiosyncratic take on the
new folk sound includes references to Mumfords and Fleet Foxes, but also their
own quirky eccentricities are given full rein, and the resulting three minutes
exudes both naive indie charm and wonderful pop accessibility. It’s a formula
that’s repeated frequently on “Forgether”, and the combination of story songs,
fierce melodies and acoustic arrangements, make a beeline for the part of the
brain that appreciates that sort of thing. Indeed, standout songs appear with a
frightening regularity, from the fore mentioned “Homestead”
to the grandiose “Northland”, where guest
vocalist Gabby Booth makes a substantial contribution.
Phil S.
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