Windless Day
Echo Magic, 2021
9/10
Perhaps best known as a founding member of the eclectic outfit Hiss Golden Messenger, Scott Hirsch brings his ultra creative prowess to this third solo album, where his producer skills illuminate the timeless and thoughtful song craft.
“Spirit True” starts the listen with a soulful, smooth delivery of soothing backing vocals and warm, crisp instrumentation, and “Much Too Late” follows with clever bass lines and agile percussion as a stylish form of folk-rock unfolds.
“Big Passenger” lands in the middle and recruits synthetic drumming and a bouncy spirit as Hirsch’s playful vocals howl with charm, while “Redstone” moves calm amid cautious strumming in the meditative instrumental. “The Price Of Gold”, one of the album’s best, then cultivates a firm melody alongside some psychedelic nods that are as unique as they are enticing.
At the end, “Drummer Of Shiloh” focuses on mood thanks to the precise, bare guitar picking that hints at country ideas, and “Love Is Long” exits the listen with much beauty as a dreamy quality swirls with a lush, textured finish.
Hirsch is no stranger to diverse, groove filled songwriting, and this effort has both in spades. Certainly on par with the greatness achieved by Hiss Golden Messenger, Windless Day benefits from contributions by Daniel Wright, Jesse Siebenberg, Greg Loiacono, and M.C. Taylor, among others, and it makes for yet another fascinating body of work from Hirsch.
Travels well with: T. Hardy Morris- The Digital Age Of Rome; Dhani Harrison- In///Parallel