libraries are the best
It’s been a long time since I’ve been so quickly captured by new music. It’s also been a long time since I’ve wanted to describe something as ‘ohmygodyes’ or ‘INEEDTHISNOW’ but the debut album from Hannah & Maggie starts all those clocks over again.
It isn’t hard to throw around a bunch of descriptors: acoustic, folk, songwritey, harmony, melodic, beautiful, so on and so on. Fine Being Here is all of those. It’s packed with friendly hammer-ons and chords in the C position, walking bass lines, brushed snare hits, and some of the best harmony that I’m sure many of us have heard in a long time. But what makes this record something that I want to listen to on repeat (for hours) is something even less tangible: chemistry. And if I had to pick one word to describe this music, it would be inviting. The harmony and guitars sound improvised but not messy; everything feels natural. When I’m listening, I can easily imagine another voice here or another small melody there, but not because the music is empty, because it’s so welcoming. Like being assured that there is more than enough to go around when you’re not sure if you’re a burden in a situation.
The record clocks in at a short 35 minutes and stays strong the whole way through. It’s hard for me to know which tracks to discuss because they are all so strong. When a song really puts me in a daze, I like to pull up the lyrics and listen and read along and then make about 20 facebook statuses and like, sign into AIM and put it on my away message via high school, and I want to do that with all of these songs. You know? Some records make you really want to violate that one-track-per-artist rule (is that a rule?) for mixes. You know?
In a world where it seems like everyone is constantly focusing on getting to “that next step” (like college, and probably after college) it’s refreshing to hear the title track, “Fine Being Here.” The chorus goes,
Seems like everyone’s waiting for something better to start
But we’re fine being here, yeah we’re happy right where we are
If it was up to me I don’t think I’d ever move on
But it’s out of our hands so let’s try our best to hold on
and a lot of the writing on the CD is like this. If you single out any line, it feels sort of like a cliche–abstract writing without a lot of images. But doing that doesn’t give you the right picture. There’s such a flow to this writing and singing that I can imagine each line tumbling naturally in place after the next, and suddenly I stop thinking of the writing as “a little colloquial” and start thinking of the verses as a lot like home. And that’s what this record is. It’s a place you can come to when you’re not quite sure how things are going to turn out and rest your head and hear a voice that tells you that whatever’s going on, it can be okay.
“The Land & The Sea” shifts away from the kind of language in “Fine Being Here” and it might be my favorite on the CD. They mention whiskey, wine, and Rome…ALL IN ONE SONG. “She’s in my blood and in my bones / She feels brand new and just like home” is haunting and stands out as one of the best couplets on the album. The spirit of the song is overall hopeful and in the heart of being fine being here, but it’s got a heartbreaking melancholy to it that just sort of makes you stare off into space for minutes, trying to figure out how something can be so heartbreaking and joyful all at the same time. A lot of the songs on this album will probably break your heart, but it’s pretty hard to love something and not let it break your heart a little bit.
And although we may find that these miles are unkind
There are roads left to Rome and we will take our sweet, sweet time
Sticking pins in the map, drinking whiskey, drinking wine
If you stay with me I will make it worth your time
Before I go into an uncontrolled spree (as I like to do) and write four paragraphs about every song, I want to mention “Not the One” and “Lessons in Gravity.” The first is an account of what it feels like to lose yourself in a relationship, seeing things unravel when they’re still sort of raveled and not knowing how to stop it, and not knowing if that’s okay. And “Lessons in Gravity” is just so gorgeous. Plus, I love any song that mentions laundry. Another thing I love about this album is the smooth transitions between verses and choruses. Sometimes it’s nice not to have an epically huge dynamic change between the two; letting them just flow together allows for the music to really breathe.
And I wear my hair short now
but I still sing the songs I wrote with a ponytail
to prove that I know how
The album ends with the abrupt, under-two-minutes “Syncopate, Syncopate” where both sing, “And I think we’re gonna make it after all,” and yes, I think they are, too. So you guys, get this record. Everyone. I’ve listened to Fine Being Here about twenty times in the past week, and I don’t want to be the only one.
Hannah & Maggie Website
Hannah & Maggie Facebook
Hannah & Maggie YouTube
Hannah & Maggie MySpace
Hannah & Maggie Last.FM
Hannah & Maggie Tumblah
…you can pretty much find them everywhere.
