Til The Glitter End
Mule Kick, 2025
9/10
Perhaps best known as a founding member of the HawtThorns and CALICO the band, this first solo effort from KP Hawthorn recruits her West Coast roots with a Nashville spirit across the 9 songs.
“Fool’s Gold” starts the listen with warm guitar and Chris Benelli’s skilled drumming that suits Hawthorn’s pretty pipes, and “High Road” follows with an infectious energy thanks to Ted Pecchio’s playful bass and Rosie Flores’ animated electric guitar.
Landing in the middle, the cozy balladry of “The Runaway Girl (Ballad of Ginger and Danny)” makes great use of soft guitar and Hawthorn’s intimate pipes, while “Come To Me” is a lush and heartfelt album highlight that benefits from pretty singing and a pensive rhythm section.
Arriving near the end, “The Lone Ranger” allows for Johnny Hawthorn's meticulous guitar to shine, and Benelli’s percussion is quite memorable, too, and “Going To California” exits with Sav Madigan’s sophisticated violin complementing the stirring duet.
A well thought out and very mature effort. Hawthorn and her company mash Americana, dream pop and golden-era California nods into a timeless body of work.
Travels well with: Ashleigh Flynn & The Riveters- Good Morning, Sunshine; Paula Fong- Chestnut Mare