Song Of The Month: Holy Hail’s “Elemental”
Lots of bands mix genres, some better than others. New York’s Holy Hale is among those who do it unusually well, with big-beat, pop, Americana, hip-hop, new wave, and electro coming together in a healthy, breathing surge of energy. The lyrics strewn across their debut album, Independent Pleasure Club (due November 11 on Kanine Records) are often political—the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, the environment, wire tapping, and the American-Indian genocide are are all touched upon—but, refreshingly, your body’s going to react before your brain does this time, making for a far easier digestion of lyrical agression. The band recently returned from outings in Europe (with New Young Pony Club and Bonde Do Role) and gigging in Mexico. Click here to listen to “Elemental.”
The Holy Hail story starts with Cat Hartwell. Originally from the south, she fled to NYC as soon as she could to DJ, and eventually met Bronx born union rep Kevin Cooke at a 4th of July BBQ. Soon after the pair decided to form an Americana dance project. Michally Kaye, a first generation American of Indian-Croatian descent and daughter of a Pentecostal preacher raised Jewish in Minneapolis, then joined on bass.
After a quick trip into buzz-bin land, with opening gigs for The Gossip and props from The Rapture pushing them along, the group released dual vinyl EPs in 2007 and went on several well received tours. The group lists Nas, The Fall, The Band, Gang of Four, and southern literature among their influences. For more, go to www.myspace.com/holyhail.
“Elemental”
I’m aching. Elemental
Set for tracks to be guided yet hostile
The sun and the moon have conspired against me
My only true recess – pursuing insanity
Save my mama and save my place
Junior cries just to save his face
To being, been seeing. Heathens,
In my place of being
Fortress of the soul to brood
That old cheap sunset – solitude.
In the cave of my home rooms the truth
That old cheap sunset – solitude.
We took our cues from the high almighty
By that I mean the colonel man
He gave us ten commandments
Fighting wars in a desert land
My mind’s made up, I want to get out (2x)
Be my. Tell my. Show my. Send my people back (4x)
Dear Betty, did I take your true and sweet lone heart?
To the sea, my decree, that takes me from my liberty?
Did I spell my deeds in sorrow sand?
To kill and sleep and learn the land?
To soak in bloody cloaks
That shakes and takes and aches the folks?
Simple son of the mother gun
The air our share of breeze and sun
Encased my stain in sleeted sleep on streets of rain and slick and sleet
Too shy to die and weep at feet of horses brave and sick of meat
Retrograde degrade the salt of wounded knee, the march to halt
The fault of hell, my fine decline. So languid, not aware of time.
More album lyrics here.
