One Hand Up
Self-Released, 2024
8/10
The esteemed guitarist and songwriter Karen Haglof returns with a 4th album, where 14 sonically fueled songs take help from Mario Viele and CP Roth, plus many guests.
The rhythmic and country-rock of the title track starts with Roth’s playful keys and plenty of backing vocals, and it isn’t long until the soulful ideas of “Bus Driver” brings both Haglof and Viele’s voices to the warm spirit.
Further along, “D.H.Y.B” recruits Paul Scher’s sax and Roddy Rodriguez’s vocals to the fuzzy version of alt-rock, while “B.Q.E” continues the abbreviations with a dreamy demeanor of melodic and lush rock.
Very close to the end, “Seaesaw Again” finds itself in intimate areas of exploration that are uniquely hazy, and “Rte 66 Revisited” exits with Crispin Cioe’s well timed sax and Jonathan Kane’s skilled drums for a mesmerizing and mysterious finish.
Haglof’s musical interests go way to Minneapolis during the era of The Replacements and Hüsker Dü, but she stepped way to become a doctor. Decades later, she picked up a guitar again, and now we’re treated to memorable riffs, drum looping, and jazz, prog and punk fueled ideas that few others could replicate.
Travels well with: Steve Dawson- Ghosts; Lynn Drury- High Tide