“Americana,” Part 1: Huck Notari

Maybe it’s spring’s slow, long drag into summer (which I’m choosing to view as romantically rainy, rather than what it really is), or maybe it’s the lingering effects of Frank Fairfield’s recent old-tyme revival in Al’s Den -for some reason I’ve found myself drawn to dreamy, down-tempo, reverbed-vocal-laden tunes of late. We’re talking the type of music that is very broadly termed “Americana “-which is lazy as hell, as far as I’m concerned, because what does that term even mean any more?

So, to be specific, what I mean is music that culls influence from a number of American idioms, mainly folk, old country, a smattering of blues, bluegrass and those strange death songs, all hollow-voiced and plain-spoken.

I have a lot of thoughts on this, but, to be perfectly honest, I have a pile of invoices to attend to (music marketing isn’t all six-strings and klieg lights, people), so let’s let this serve as Part 1.

What got me to thinking of all this, by the way, is Huck Notari’s upcoming show at the Edgefield Winery (Thursday, April 5). Huck seems like a musical old soul -I sure hope he throws that echo on his voice live; that effect makes it sound like he’s conjuring his songs from the past. Here’s his song “Wall Around Your Heart.” Check it out, check his show out, and let’s talk “Americana” next week.