Check out the latest single from North Carolina singer-songwriter Anya Hinkle. There’s a compelling sense of urgency in the great rhythms of ‘Devil Chasin’ Me’, based on River Guerguerian’s hypnotic percussion, that brings to mind journeys down the long, open roads we see in the accompanying video. Those expansive views reinforce Hinkle’s words about struggle ahead, “…long road of trouble,” and are interspersed with images of Hinkle and her band playing in the studio – it’s a fine group of players, who deliver absorbing musical layers. John Doyle’s bright, repeating guitar-riff, Billy Cardine’s Dobro and Clark Rinard’s keys are all especially effective. Meanwhile, Hinkle delivers an absorbing vocal performance, full of character and soul.
Hinkle says of the inspiration behind the song: “I woke up to the news that Roe v. Wade, the US Supreme Court decision that gave women the right to make their own choices about their own bodies, had been overturned. What I thought of immediately was a young girl fleeing from some of the most restrictive areas in the country to anywhere that she would still be able to find access to reproductive health care. Girls are senselessly forced into shouldering great burdens.”
The single is from ‘Oceania’, the new album due for release on 10th May 2024 – check out the pre-order link here. ‘Devil Chasin’ Me’ is a taste of the Bluegrass and Appalachian Americana blend that we can expect on the new record, which was produced by Kevin Moloney (U2, Sinéad O’Connor). Over many years playing in the Asheville, North Carolina music scene, Hinkle has developed her distinctive sound. After achieving a Ph.D. in ethnobotany, Hinkle decided to leave the academic world behind to focus on the bluegrass and Americana that inspired her. With her bands Dehlia Low and Tellico, and her solo material, Hinkle has now released ten albums and it seems she’s travelled a long road since leaving that life in academia behind. Enjoy.
If this is “hillbilly” music, then it’s some of the most sophisticated I’ve ever listened to. It shows that Ms Hinkle had a lot of confidence in her musical abilities to turn down a career in ethnobotany and opt for bluegrass. (Say, isn’t there a world famous Brit guitarist with a Ph.D in astrophysics?) A very engaging sound, and great musicality in her singing.