SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER – I’M PEOPLE

HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER
I’M PEOPLE
CHRYSALIS RECORDS

I’m People is Hiss Golden Messenger’s 16th studio album, since their debut in 2008. M.C. Taylor (who really is Hiss Golden Messenger at this point) continues his slide into Americana music. In fact, to that point, Bruce Hornsby is a guest on the album, which is an indication that Taylor is shifting the sound a little bit for the band. In fact, the music drifts into the country music world as well. The music is acoustic based, with some support from a fiddle, bass and drum. The end result is a brilliant album, full of short stories that, together, create a wonderful book of exploration of the human condition.

Some of the songs, like “Last Orders” and “Spirit Cat,” tip their hats to the older Hiss Golden Messenger sound and are more indie than Americana. It is a great to hear Taylor to revisit some older style and sounds, and as with every song on the album, features very strong lyrics. In terms of lyrics, the album musically takes the listener to upstate New York, to experience some for of hope in these somewhat turbulent times. Taylor is trying, with his words and melody, to tap into the human part of the listener. And it works on those levels. The songs have a beautiful flow and feeling to them, again, more Americana than in the past, but then, he is also expanding as he gets older.

Hiss Golden Messenger still has the talent and ability to take their listeners on a journey, wherever they want to go. I’m People is a very personal album, yet extremely relatable. It is somewhat of a sparse album, both in production and in arrangements. But it really needs to be. It is beautifully produced, but far from slick. One look at the stark front cover provides the listener with a clue as to what they are in store for. The album holds together, not as a concept album, but an overall feeling and songs that tug burrow into the listener’s soul. Taylor’s voice is as brilliant as always, and he has surrounded himself with top notch players. I’m People is a brilliant album.

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