Maverick approach produces glorious mainstream sounds.
“Divided Kind” is the latest instalment in an absorbing catalogue of admirably fashioned records from Philly-based, Brighton-bred country-soul-folk duo Native Harrow. Their previous 5 records have offered up a captivating miscellany of finely tuned sounds; neat country-rock, warm soul grooves and gently resonant folk, each of them offering a small evolution or effortless shift from the previous yet each remaining entirely and unmistakably Native Harrow in nature.
The common thread, weaving lightly through each of their records and into to “Divided Kind” is their precisely crafted nature. Native Harrow are essentially vocalist Devin Tuel and multi-instrumentalist Stephen Harms and the pair are clearly captivated by, and devotees of, the full panoply of roots music from the last 70 years. This new record, put down in their own home studio, was produced and recorded by Harms and Tuel with a little help from drummers (and engineers/mixers) Alex Hall and Joshua Friedman and Hanging Star Joe Harvey-Whyte’s pedal steel on ‘Borrowing Time’.
It is a mighty impressive feat for the duo to create something that sounds so warm and organic from such a meticulous and methodical process. At a recent show, the front man of MOFRO and roots/soul maven JJ Grey was heard to extoll, at great length, the vitality of ‘discipline’ when making music. It seems that Harms and Tuel have adopted this axiom as their working method, seemingly at what odds with the customarily more dissolute approach of the world of rock n roll. What we end up with here is a record that is undoubtedly well-crafted but never sounds manufactured. This result is likely a product of Tuel and Harm’s affection for the forms with which they are working as well as the raft of vintage gear they use to record their music. More important perhaps though, is the exigence of the song in their artistic endeavours, each being created exclusively and in detail to get at its true core.
A case in point is the opener and title track. It begins with gorgeous mellow piano minor chords and as it progresses, builds with gospel-like chorus vocals, what sounds like a mini-orchestra of guitars, Hammond organ and rhythm. Topped by Tuel’s mellifluous vocals and Harm’s sympathetic and provocative solo, the net result would hold its own (along with ‘Not the Woman’) on Ryan Adam’s ‘Gold’ or even ‘Give Out but Don’t Give up’. The LP’s jigsaw of country, folk, soul, and rock n’ roll is carefully built from here. There are intimate folk-tinged laments – ‘The Garden’, ‘That’s Love’ – which would feel at home on the soundtrack to a Wicker Man remake, Brazilian-tinged updated takes on vintage soul straight from the Daptone playbook ‘Going Nowhere’, ‘Follows Me Round‘ and even folky jazz-soul ala ‘Astral Weeks’ via Terry Callier – ‘Wayward Dreaming‘.
The musical world constructed by Native Harrow is both sonically and lyrically hopeful and upbeat. Although the record speaks of the vicissitudes of life’s troubles and challenges it is always clear that upheavals can be faced and redemption is often just around the corner. A close companion of“Divided Kind” might be Yola’s Dan Auerbach-produced debut. It has a similar musical palette and energising effect. If any criticism were to be levelled at “Divided Kind” it might be that it could use a touch of Auerbach’s Memphis grease and grit to leaven the meticulously fashioned nature of some of the songs. This is a small niggle though.“Divided Kind” is another powerfully engaging offering from Native Harrow. In a catalogue of sometimes anthemic, always self-assured and dynamic records, this may just be their best yet.
