(Self-released)Archetypal psychology and country music are infrequent co-travellers,but north Californian Rita Hosking is an strange songwriter and one who spent 14 years as a teacher before taking up music. Here she puts aside her usual social commentary to explore what James Hillman called “the hero’s journey”; a reckoning with hope, disappointment and tough-won wisdom. At times the songs seem too summary and elliptical, or but grounding images of mountain life are always at hand while Hosking has a sure musical touch and a distinctive homespun vocal style to carry songs like the yearning Magic Carpet,the depressed Black gap and the transformative Spirit Canoe. It emerges, alongside Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown, or as one of Americana’s finest concept albums.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com