Jeremy Aaron
04/07/09, 09:15 AM
Austin Hartley-Leonard - Franklin Ave.
Record Label: Mother West Records
Release Date: September 9, 2008
Who?
Franklin Ave. is the debut CD from Austin Hartley-Leonard, an alt-country/Americana singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, by way of Austin.
How Is It?
He's not doing anything remotely original, but Austin Hartley-Leonard scores definite points for solid execution. The album offers a balanced menu of fiddle-heavy upbeat country-rockers, steel guitar-dusted midtempo tunes and the obligatory acoustic ballads, and much of it works pretty well. It's definitely not going to win over those who don't care for the genre - if you hate the game, you'll probably hate this player - but if alt-country is up your alley, there's something on Franklin Ave. for you.
The first half of the record is particularly strong, with Hartley-Leonard's Jay Farrar-esque vocal emitting an affable everyman vibe that fits the songs very well. On "Heroes," he sings, "Here's to all our heroes, they don't give a fuck," words of a man who's been beat down and has learned to just keep on keepin' on. After all, there's always beer. Playful horns reinforce the devil-may-care attitude on "Golden Opportunity," an infectious, good-timing tune with a surprising lyrical nod to Black Flag. He can hardly conceal his sideways smile on "Sunday Morning," when he delivers the line, "I love you baby, but who's your friend?"
After coming out of the gate swinging, he seems to lose a little steam, falling back on acoustic tunes, and it's unfortunate because they don't suit his style and come off sounding a bit flat (with the exception of "August," which is pretty solid). Likewise, the rollicking "Western Key" sounds like any other fast-paced barroom stomper. I can't help but to feel that fans of Limbeck's spirited country-rock will love the first few songs and be a little bit disappointed by what follows, though that's perhaps more of a testament to the strength of those early numbers than anything else.
Fans of the country side of things should definitely take a look at Austin Hartley-Leonard, or at the very least, this album's first three songs and the later track "Heart Attack." Those songs, which are predominantly shuffling, midpaced tunes, showcase the singer at his most amiable and charming, which is definitely his strong suit. There are undoubtedly some weaker moments on the album, but the good very much outweighs the bad and makes checking this guy out worth your time.
Limbeck's Limbeck
Sleepercar's West Texas
Son Volt's Trace
Drag the River's You Can't Live This Way
Austin Lucas' Putting the Hammer Down
Check out Austin Hartley-Leonard on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/austinhl).
Record Label: Mother West Records
Release Date: September 9, 2008
Who?
Franklin Ave. is the debut CD from Austin Hartley-Leonard, an alt-country/Americana singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, by way of Austin.
How Is It?
He's not doing anything remotely original, but Austin Hartley-Leonard scores definite points for solid execution. The album offers a balanced menu of fiddle-heavy upbeat country-rockers, steel guitar-dusted midtempo tunes and the obligatory acoustic ballads, and much of it works pretty well. It's definitely not going to win over those who don't care for the genre - if you hate the game, you'll probably hate this player - but if alt-country is up your alley, there's something on Franklin Ave. for you.
The first half of the record is particularly strong, with Hartley-Leonard's Jay Farrar-esque vocal emitting an affable everyman vibe that fits the songs very well. On "Heroes," he sings, "Here's to all our heroes, they don't give a fuck," words of a man who's been beat down and has learned to just keep on keepin' on. After all, there's always beer. Playful horns reinforce the devil-may-care attitude on "Golden Opportunity," an infectious, good-timing tune with a surprising lyrical nod to Black Flag. He can hardly conceal his sideways smile on "Sunday Morning," when he delivers the line, "I love you baby, but who's your friend?"
After coming out of the gate swinging, he seems to lose a little steam, falling back on acoustic tunes, and it's unfortunate because they don't suit his style and come off sounding a bit flat (with the exception of "August," which is pretty solid). Likewise, the rollicking "Western Key" sounds like any other fast-paced barroom stomper. I can't help but to feel that fans of Limbeck's spirited country-rock will love the first few songs and be a little bit disappointed by what follows, though that's perhaps more of a testament to the strength of those early numbers than anything else.
Fans of the country side of things should definitely take a look at Austin Hartley-Leonard, or at the very least, this album's first three songs and the later track "Heart Attack." Those songs, which are predominantly shuffling, midpaced tunes, showcase the singer at his most amiable and charming, which is definitely his strong suit. There are undoubtedly some weaker moments on the album, but the good very much outweighs the bad and makes checking this guy out worth your time.
Limbeck's Limbeck
Sleepercar's West Texas
Son Volt's Trace
Drag the River's You Can't Live This Way
Austin Lucas' Putting the Hammer Down
Check out Austin Hartley-Leonard on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/austinhl).