Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

Holy sh*t! This is so effin’ good! It is a year old, but it is too noteworthy to pass up. This is as good as it gets. This is an incredible mix of classic country, outlaw country, and rock n roll. Every track is good and none require the fast forward button. The Hummingbirds are a duo, S.G. Wood and Rachel Lynn. Rachel shares the same last name as a country legend. Coincidence? I think not. Foreshadowing maybe.

The album starts off strong with the track 13 Days, which happens to also be the name of the album. This is a song about a short lived relationship with a couple that are opposites in every way, well except one. I will leave that to your imagination. The song is sultry and works perfectly with the vocal exchange between Wood and Lynn. Speaking of sultry, almost every song on this release is sultry. As the theme of love and romance recur throughout the album. It is pulled off very well and does not come off as corny or sappy. Quite the contrary actually. The love songs are written in a creative and witty way that totally bypasses the sap. Songs like All Those Things I Didn’t Say, Borrow Me, and Red Truck, are really nice country love songs.

Then we get to another love song, Richer With Nothing, about not having a lot of money but plenty of love. This song will be a classic. It is an absolute gem in which Wood and Lynn trade off vocals and then harmonize beautifully during the chorus. “A banker would say, you can’t have a loan, but we’re richer with nothing, but the love that we own”, that’s one of the lines of the chorus and it is profound and delivered with style and grace.

There are no shortage of great songs on this album, but now let me get to the best of the best….Horses and Rattlesnakes. WOW! This song kicks major ass! It is a toe tapping, finger snapping, head bobbing masterpiece. I have a personal playlist that I listen to when I am working out or travelling. It includes songs by The Drive By Truckers, Uncle Tupelo, The Bottle Rockets, and Johnny Cash, among others. Horses and Rattlesnakes made the playlist. That should give you some indication of how good this song is if it earned a spot in my premium playlist. Listen for yourself if you don’t believe me.

I can’t say enough good things about this album. I am just a little miffed that it took me a year to discover this. But that doesn’t matter now because better late to the party than not being invited at all. Take a listen to the whole thing here and purchase it as well. This really is a must have for any country music aficionado.

Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

I have to admit, the first time I listened to this, I was not enamored with it. The songs seem a little dark. All of the songs seem to be about war, loss, and sadness. The music and vocals also have a very heavy, melancholy tone that is present throughout the album. Even though all of this is true, I couldn’t stop listening to it. I have many other albums to review, yet I kept coming back to this one to listen. Although it is a bit dark, I am drawn to this album. I found myself humming some of the songs. Now, I want to crack the code. I find myself listening to this a lot now. Not for work, but for my own enjoyment.

The songs are crafted masterfully, with great instrumentation and vocals. Once I got past my initial thoughts, I really started to dig this album. All of the songs, while heavy, are great. Josh Haden, who is the driving force behind Spain, was a punk rocker in his formative years, listening to Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Bad Religion. The music in Carolina doesn’t even remotely resemble anything close to the musical stylings of those three bands. What is does have in common is exploration of topics that are not readily present in popular music.

The album is a rich tapestry of stories and creative tales. I have to say, the song Lorelei (Track 4) is my favorite so far. I am not sure what it is about, but I am pretty sure it is not a happy tale:

I don’t want to fight your war tonight

Put away all your guns and knives

I am waiting

Lorelei

I don’t want to see the streets tonight

I am so wary and so tired

I am waiting

Lorelei…………………

Although the lyrics are not the most cheerful, it is a beautiful song and I can’t get enough of it. Battle of Saratoga is another standout. With hauntingly beautiful music in the background, this song combines two stories. Part of the story is about a heroin addict stuck in a hotel room and the other part deals with the Battle of Saratoga from the Revolutionary War. Pertinent, as I write this review on the cusp of American Independence Day. Haden, an avid reader, recalls other historical events on this album such as the Great Depression (The Depression – Track 2), the Farmington Mine disaster (One Last Look – Track 5), and post-Civil War Reconstruction (Tennessee – Track 1). If you give this a listen and are not convinced of this album’s worthiness, I say stick in there and give it another listen. Your tenacity will be rewarded.

You can listen to a sample track and purchase the album here.