Eden And Her Borderlands
Organic, 2021
9/10
Listen to Eden And Her Borderlands
The singer-songwriter Anya Hinkle is never far from the mountainous roots of her Virginia upbringing, and this debut record of her song craft brings 6 prior singles plus 5 other well thought songs that illustrate her diverse Americana that also welcomes bluegrass, folk and country into the equation.
Hinkle wisely puts the title track in the opening spot, where DaShawn Hickman’s warm pedal steel and Nick Falk’s precise drumming complement Hinkle’s inimitably pretty singing, and “Lady Luck” follows with a calmer spirit of country influenced songwriting that takes help from Wendy Hickman’s harmony vocals.
Entering the middle, the swift “Hills Of Swannanoa” brings us into a lush and busy climate of bluegrass friendly sounds, while “My Faithful Sparrow” is a bare and sublime moment of poetic intimacy that benefits from Duncan Wickel’s cello. “What’s It Gonna Take” then recruits Graham Sharp’s playful banjo to the cautious and stirring album highlight.
Further yet, the quirky “Why Women Need Wine” displays Julian Pinelli’s frisky fiddle and Johnny Calamari’s plucked bass, and “Merciful Dawn” exits the listen gentle, rootsy and soaked in expressive and timeless music that we could never tire of.
A personal body of work that can at times be dark, Hinkle’s vision is one of profound depth while being socially and politically aware, and the radiant help she brings along makes for one of the year’s best in the area of multifaceted Americana.
Travels well with: Aaron Burdett- Dream Rich, Dirt Poor; Zoe & Cloyd- I Am Your Neighbor