Yee-haw! Ria Hanley takes us speeding down country roads with an ice-cool debut single.
Who said country music has to be limited to the good ol' US of A? Certainly not Ria Hanley, the LIPA alumni who is bringing the sound of the deep south to Merseyside. A city that seems to have been taken over by psychedelic-rock and alternative-pop in the last few years (no shade, we love it!), Liverpool looks to be expanding its horizons. 'Hell For Leather' is a driving country-rock track, with some 80s-inspired aesthetics but a modern, crisp production style.
Opening with the main hook and diving straight into palm-muted, overdriven power chords, the track doesn't mess about and gets going without any need for a convoluted intro.
Electric and acoustic guitars combine nicely, the track existing in the space between alternative rock and all-out country. The rhythm section is tight and professional, the drums making sure to never take the limelight from Hanley herself. In terms of arrangement, backing vocals come and go to fill out the texture and the middle eight allows the listener some respite with a twinkling synth the only accompaniment to the vocal. It's simple, enjoyable and it works.
What sounds like a mandolin is ever-present in the back of the mix, too. It's what grabbed me most about the track on the first couple of listens as it allows the rest of the song to float along nicely and just adds something a bit different. Part of the reason my love of country music is limited to people like Emmylou Harris and James Taylor is because the new, what I would call 'bro-country' style in the last twenty years or so is stale, cliché and saturated beyond belief. When First Aid Kit came around, however, I changed my tune and kind of fell in love with it again. I'd class Ria in the same category of those artists who pay homage to the old school greats but want to take the genre onwards, and not constantly brag about how many ice cold buds they can consume before driving home in their truck.
It's a pretty solid vocal throughout; although the timbre of her vocals would suit a softer arrangement, the instrumentation never overpowers her. She holds her own throughout the track and the lyrics flow well, managing to stay well clear of any of the aforementioned clichés and just focuses on the story she wants to tell. There's a temptation to put on a slight southern US drawl with this style of track, but any affectations are understated and generally suit the vibe of the song.
It does kind of make me want to wear a Stetson and drive off into the sunset in my Mustang. As it goes, I can't drive so that doesn't sound like a sensible idea.
If you're a fan of the classics but want something fresh and tasty to enjoy, we'd recommend it in a heartbeat. The music scene in Liverpool seems to be growing in all directions, and we're here for it. Keep an eye out if you're local for any shows coming up, and hopefully we'll be able to make it to one in the New Year. Stream it here.
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Socials:
IG: @ria.hanley
Twitter: @riahanleymusic
Spotify: Ria Hanley
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