Ethan Hanna - Welcome To The Batlands Album Review

By


Hailing from Lisburn, Northern Ireland, the Americana influenced Ethan Hanna has today released his debut album "Welcome To The Batlands". Work began on this album many years ago and now it has finally come to fruition. Ethan recorded the album in Millbank Studios in Lisburn. Ethan Hanna has been a mainstay on the gigging scene in Northern Ireland which has amassed a large following who will undoubtedly be delighted that the album is finally here.

The album opener "Bikes & Cars" begins with an incredible intro which threatens to grow and grow but it remains constant and works brilliantly with Ethan's vocals.
"Perfect" is the first single to be released from the album and is actually Ethan's debut single. It was released to rave reviews in July, one of which was on this very blog: Perfect - Single Review
The trademark gravelly voice that I likened to Tom Waits is on full show on "Late August Wonder". The track is both beautiful and charming, features some soothing piano and reminds me of Ray Lamontagne when he was good.
"Proud" is moody, atmospheric and finds Ethan Hanna in a somewhat crestfallen spirit.
"Dream Last Night" is a slight departure from the previous tracks as it is more upbeat, rockier and has a killer bassline.
The rock theme continues with the thumping "Fire" which switches from fast to slow seamlessly with the fast parts being particularly exciting.
"Bad Dreams" is fascinating, delicate and just simply superb. It's simplicity makes it stand out and be noticed. There aren't enough adjectives to describe how good this song is.
"Now You're In New York" is quite melancholy and has some dialogue excerpts which heighten the mood.
The closer "Reprise" finishes the album as it started with beautiful guitar chords and the sound of traffic.

Ethan Hanna's debut album ticks all the boxes. It's moody, atmospheric, brilliant, sad and happy. It is steeped in intrigue and demands further listens. Simply put, "Welcome To The Batlands" is a cracking album.



"Welcome To The Batlands" is released today with a launch gig on tomorrow night in The Pavilion, Belfast with the brilliant Sonja Sleator and John Andrews in support.
You can listen to the full album on Spotify by following the link below:
Welcome To the Batlands on Spotify

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Logan J Parker - Cry Cry Cry Single Review

By
Image
Logan J. Parker is a singer songwriter living in London but originally from Portugal. Logan is also a producer, pianist and guitarist with sound steeped in 60's rock n' roll, soul and blues. She is also a part of the musical wing of Extinction Rebellion. Her influences include T Bone Walker, Amy Winehouse and Leonard Cohen. Whilst working in a bank job that she hated, Logan had a health scare which showed her that life is short and time can't be wasted doing something you hate so that's when her musical journey began. In 2016 she moved to London to compose her own music which she recorded in a fully solar powered studio and through her own independent company meaning that she owns all of the copyright to her music. In late 2019 Logan released her self titled debut EP. She recently released a single from that EP called "Cry Cry Cry". Watch the video for "Cry Cry Cry" here: "Cry Cry Cry" is a bluesy jazz number. It's...
Read more

Logan J. Parker - Blue Single Review

By
Image
Logan J Parker is a singer songwriter from Portugal but currently residing in London. Just a couple of weeks ago I reviewed her single Cry Cry Cry and now she returns with her latest single Blue. About the song, Logan says " Blue is another sad song I wrote about the lockdown and it's dedicated to my mother and best friend Rita. Without her, I wouldn't be a musician." Watch the video here: Blue is a quirky upbeat jazz track and is Logan's first foray into the ukulele. The happy vibes of the music and Logan's vocal delivery masks the sadness in the lyrics. This song will put you in a  good mood for the rest of the day.  Follow Logan J Parker: Twitter Instagram Facebook Spotify Official Website SoundCloud YouTube
Read more

Foot Squeaker - No Connection Single Review

By
Image
Foot Squeaker are a three piece rock band from Gorey, Wexford. The band is made up of Diarmuid Comerford, Mick Byrne and Mike Lynch. They formed in 2018 when Diarmuid and Mike wanted to start a band with one rule: keep it hard and fast. In 2019, Mick joined the fold and the band rehearsed for the next several months. Their first gig was at The Gap Arts Festival where they received a great reception. In January 2020, the band recorded four track at Hellfire Studios in Dublin. The first to be released will be the band's debut single  No Connection on May 29th. The song was tracked live during the recording session. The music video was shot on the deserted streets of Gorey within the 2km travel radius. Watch the video here: No Connection is a rip roaring hard rock song. The band's sound is immense with the bass being particularly delicious. The chorus is catchy as fuck and will be stuck in your head for ages after listening. Foot Squeaker are a really exciting ba...
Read more