(4 / 5)
After a tumultuous few years, US artist Hannah Wicklund returns with her new self-produced album, “War on Women; Calling All Good Men”, released on her own Strawberry Moon Records label.
The 13 tracks were written, recorded and produced by Hannah, with engineer Devin Vaughan in Charleston. Devin plays drums on the record with multi-instrumentalist Hannah playing everything else.
The album is a gutsy call to action for change, aimed at both men and women, that delves into heartbreak, Hannah’s fight to regain control of her music career, and other obstacles along the way.
The album is topped and tailed with a cappella tracks, “War On Women”, and “Calling All Good Men”; and if you weren’t initially sure what message Hannah had set out to trumpet with this album, it was made abundantly clear here:” …If you’re a man, start taking a stand, cause only then will we call you our brothers”, she implores on the opening cut, “War On Women”.
But to counter balance that fiery statement, she is more hopeful with the final track, when she declares, “I have faith in you, how to see us through this dark night”.
“I want it to be abundantly clear that I am not anti-men. These are not just women’s issues; they are society’s issues and finding a solution will involve all of us,” Hannah says.”It’s a hopeful song [“Calling All Good Men”] to go out on, and serves as my olive branch to all the good men out there to use their power and their voices, to not just create a safer world, but to make space for women and girls to truly shine.”
The record has an ethereal and haunting vibe, topped off with with shredding guitars and Hannah’s fantastic vibrato. She oscillates between Florence Welch-style emotionally-charged vocals, especially on standout track “The Pier”, to a more punchy approach á la Lizzy Hale for “The Strange Case Of” album era; with the heavier songs like “Whistle to Blow” and “Marionettes”.
South Carolina-based Hannah’s guitar skills really come into their own throughout the album; the epic guitar solo on “Cowards and Kings” was recorded live in one take and Hannah calls it, “The greatest guitar solo I have ever played”. Stunning.
Other must hear tracks include “Diamonds”, a more pop-leaning, acoustic guitar heavy track that tells the story of a woman who loses herself in a relationship, and reminds us that “love shouldn’t scare you”. This track also includes a wonderful flute solo. “The Token” is another heavy hitter: an emotive, rousing heartbreak-centric piano ballad with gorgeous stacked vocals and razor sharp lyrics.
Her current single taken from the album, “Red Gorilla”, is a funky blues-rock track focused around the controversial death of Harambe the Gorilla at Cincinnati Zoo; used as a representation of the disconnection between humankind and the delicate ecosystem of the planet. Hannah produced and directed the video to the track, and the video for “War On Women”.
Hannah is a force to be reckoned with as a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer, and she has delivered the perfect showcase of her talents and new artistic freedom as an independent artist.
- Hannah will tour the UK with a dozen shows in October – kicking off on the 1st in Birmingham, and closing in Grimsby on 22nd.
By Fran Parry
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’
(4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
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