Lonnie Holley
Keeping A Record Of It
Reviewed by: Stephen Krock
Lonnie Holley’s newest LP launches off with the intriguingly contrast-ridden ‘Six Space Shuttles and 144,000 Elephants.” With an ethereal, tropical, semi-electronic backing, Holley howls like a desert wind with a very Dylanesque, almost incomprehensible, but always soulful, raspiness. The raw vocals harkening back to the heart of the 60s and 70s combined with the very modern alterna-funk grooves provide an interesting amalgamation of sound that belongs wholly to Lonnie Holley. That said, it’s a trick that wears thin by the time we get to the fourth track.
Fortunately, after a brief spoken monologue, we’re treated to the LP’s highlight, the epic (as in 14 minutes long) “From the Other Side of the Pulpit.” Here, the production takes on a more organic feel, employing a handful of found sound made into music while Holley chants into the island sky. It’s followed by the title track, which is lighter on the vocals and heavy on the joyful noise that Holley preaches in the aforementioned monologue. And, indeed, Keeping A Record Of It is joyful, but at times it’s also just noise.
Rating: Listenable
