Jim Hanft and Samantha Yonack Harmonize in "Run My Love"

Last night we were invited to the IOTA Club  to see Jim Hanft and partner Samantha Yonack open for Hoots & Hellmouth. Hanft is touring in support of his new CD, Weddings or Funerals which we discussed previously here.  This evening, the duo performed several songs from this release which showcases their vocal harmonies. This is what I believe differentiates Hanft from the cadre of other singer songwriters. There are many like him who can write interesting songs and handle the harp\guitar combo - but few supplement with beautiful harmonies - particularly those from Ms. Yonack. Just check out the video below of "Run My Love" to see what I mean. More videos are available at the MyJoogTV YouTube channel. 

Hoots & Hellmouth add Salt to the Road

Straight from the City of Brotherly Love, Hoots & Hellmouth hit the road in support of the upcoming CD, Salt. The official release date is April 10th 2012; but expect to be able to listen and purchase starting February 8th as the quartet travels the East Coast and Midwest during February and March. And Frontier Ruckus joins the tour in mid-March; we will be at the last show, March 30th at IOTA Club.

The increasingly difficult to categorize Hoots & Hellmouth kick off 2012 with a busy schedule… and a profound shift in focus. The Philly-based foursome, led by Sean Hoots, spent the majority of last year building a huge repertoire of live performances, from booming festival stages to intimate small club affairs. Rigorous, unrelenting touring is their M.O. Of Course, they still managed to find time to record a game-changing full-length, the eclectic Salt (available April 10, 2012 on sonaBLAST!). Their latest is a type of work that showcases a band at a crossroads. Throughout, Hoots & Hellmouth retain shades of their earthy, bucolic-tinged rapid-fire folk while profoundly exploring the sonic experimentation of inventive indie rock and the malleable, tuneful accessibility of classic American songwriting.

For those of you unfamiliar with Hoots & Hellmouth, the four-piece have spent their musical career exploring the dirges of North America and excelling at the DIY attitude appreciated by punks and new grassers alike. They've shared the bills with the likes of Grace Potter, Dr. Dog, and Ha Ha Tonka and graced the stages of Wakarusa, Philadelphia Folk Festival, and DelFest.

Members Sean Hoots, Robert Berliner, Mike Reilly, and Todd Erk will certainly be passing near you at some point in 2012. You will positively thank us when you get on the bandwagon.

Hoots & Hellmouth - Higher Ground South Burlington, VT: Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - Iron Horse Music Hall Northampton, MA: Thursday, February 09, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - Stone Mountain Arts Center Brownfield, ME: Friday, February 10, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - Middle East Cambridge, MA: Saturday, February 11, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - Tin Angel Acoustic Cafe Philadelphia, PA: Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - The Black Oak Tavern Oneonta, NY: Friday, February 17, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - The Rock Shop Brooklyn, NY: Saturday, February 18, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - City Winery New York, NY: Sunday, February 19, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - The Whiskey Annapolis, MD: Friday, March 02, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - Arden Guild Hall Arden, DE: Saturday, March 03, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - Club Cafe Pittsburgh, PA: Thursday, March 08, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH: Friday, March 09, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth - The Ark Ann Arbor, MI: Saturday, March 10, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - Martyrs Chicago, IL: Friday, March 16, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - The Strutt Kalamazoo, MI: Saturday, March 17, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - The Mill Restaurant Iowa City, IA: Sunday, March 18, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - Headliners Music Hall Louisville, KY: Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall Asheville, NC: Friday, March 23, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - Soapbox Laundro-Lounge Wilmington, NC: Saturday, March 24, 2012

16th Annual Budweiser Wing Fling - Downtown Carolina Beach Carolina Beach, NC: Saturday, March 24, 2012 @ 12:00 PM

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC: Sunday, March 25, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - Kirk Avenue Music Roanoke, VA: Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - The Southern Café and Music Hall Charlottesville, VA: Thursday, March 29, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth & Frontier Ruckus - IOTA Club Arlington, VA: Friday, March 30, 2012

Hoots & Hellmouth @ Jammin' Java

At the last minute I decided to head to Jammin' Java to see a band that I've seen get a lot of hits on MyJoog.com: Hoots and Hellmouth. This Philly based band was just starting a 7 week tour and I wanted to see why the excitement. And what did I see? A jam band?, a little; a bluegrass band?, some; a folk band, a little; a gospel - blues band, sometimes. In other words this band defies categorization. What they are are four guys playing two acoustic guitars, a mandolin, and a bass - with intense energy that you'd normally see with a jam band, a semi-bluegrass or folk sound, with hints of gospel, jazz, and blues melodies. Also, their sound is not for the casual listener; I saw Jammin' Java transform from a sit down concert hall to a dance hall - with the band constantly asking the crowd to surge closer to the stage.

The band's energy was amazing. Ninety percent of their songs were played at full speed, with each player trying to out-pick the other. This was probably a result of spending the previous month locked in the studio cutting their second CD. Their first CD, is the self-titled, Hoots & Hellmouth. For the remaining ten percent they would slow down and do a jazz or blues rift, where you could fully appreciate their vocals (which sometimes were drowned out by the instruments). I wish they would have slowed it down for a few more songs because their vocals and harmonies are outstanding.

As I previously stated, the band will be traveling the next two months, playing primarily in the Northeast and Southeast, with a few Midwest shows mixed in. Their full schedule can be found at MyJoog.com and for those traveling to Florida and Austin, they will be playing at the Langerado Music Festival and SXSW Showcase.

Before Hoots and Hellmouth took stage, I was able to see a few songs from Old Springs Pike, a trio from New York City. The band had a large following of enthusiastic supporters - that even followed the band backstage after their performance. I wish I had arrived earlier, because I really enjoyed what I heard. The three members have tight and complimentary harmonies that shine during their slower songs; but then the band can burst into a hard rock n' roll tune that gets even the Jammin' Java staff dancing. I was also impressed by the strong country-ish vocals of the piano - percussion playing Heather. This is a band worth following - you can say you saw them before they became headliners. They have a few shows scheduled in the Northeast - but I'm looking forward to downloading a few songs from I-Tunes and for their future EP.