HannaH’s Field latest album Crystal Vision evokes a crystal clear vision of where this Connecticut reggae band is today. Combining their interest in reggae grooves and groovy lyrics with edgier lead guitar and making a few forays into Americana roots, this band has come with a party album for the mind and soul
Opening track “Love Sublime” finds front person Hanna (Ardenski) singing in her cutesy rendition of a reggae star. She captures the enunciations of each word in her lyrics, riding her vocal melody of a familiar island groove. Eventually, Aidan Moore jumps in with his edgy, push lead guitar phrase, a sound that flags this band’s interest in keeping things in a rocking vibe.
“Blessings” takes things down tempo, with HannaH seeming to recite her lyrics as much as she sings them. It’s a careful balance she maintains, sounding charismatic while finessing the vocal melody line above Moore’s riffy lead guitar and a bulbous groove pumped out by drummer Andrew Ardenski and bass player John Pitblado, Moore’s extended phrase keeps things cool, island smooth, a rock sound that soothes the soul while it kicks forward with a serious tone.
The slow trotting “Do Good” features Sky Alan singing a speedy rap with a repetitive one word chorus from HannaH. A concentration of groove, rap, vocals all atop one another makes this song hypnotic. One is pulled into its exotic percussion sound as well the alluring vocals, voices that appeal with their tones and their self-restraint.
A more spirited number titled “Hugs” finds this band riding a positive vibe, a lifted groove pushing the singers to feel good and to express it with an upbeat joy. HannaH moves her lyrics quickly through the waves of positive, creating more joy vibes as Aidan Moore’s guitar line hop scotches through the groove. These slipping, sliding motions thicken everything a second time around the groove, multiplying how good this song is.
The breezy “Peaceful Days” sweeps by like a pleasant summer cloud, HannaH’s call for peaceful days remaining low key, keeping everything smooth and unobtrusive as her voice rises in dynamics, like a flag going up the pole and catching a good wind. Keeping this song so even is what makes it successful. HannaH sings out heartily about peace as a tricky backbeat and a spiraling lead guitar play out beneath her voice, a fine contrast.
“Free” sounds like its title, a jazzy excursion with saxophonist Ben Golder-Novick and trombone player Allie Bosso providing an inviting wave. HannaH’s soulful rasp finesses and greases its twisty melody line with a feel for the vibe as much as the notes. Moore’s lead guitar line travels a similar path, and this all comes together well here because of how all the players and the singer can feel each other’s place in the song.
Switching to an Americana style, “Open Road” features Robert Bobby Pickett on steel guitar, a purty melody that feels just right atop the two step groove that moves this traveling mood along. HannaH’s timbre has a bit of twang here, and she uses the natural gears in her voice to pull this whole thing along like a trailer hitched to a rear bumper.
A lively party vibe carries “Almighty Word” through its entertaining motions to its amicable conclusion. HannaH’s empowered voice gets emotive when she explains the almighty word is “love.” Motivated by such a strong emotion, every player serves up as much joy as she, the flowing horns, the bulbous drum work, and a perky keyboard, all reflecting a desire to embrace all the negative people in the world and hug them into positive beings.
Easefully slow and spiritual, “Zion” rides huge, wide waves of vocals from Sky Alan contrasted by rapped-sung lyrics from HannaH. One can feel oneself lifted upwards with the Sky Alan vocals while feeling grounded by HannaH’s. This one makes its case with a slow moving but sizable energy. Eventually, rambunctious drumming kicks it, making this swaying groove dance into something that will make everyone sweat. It’s a graciously given sample of this outfits talents and techniques and the strong musical statement they make.
“Anchor The Light” finds Hannah applying her crystal clear vocal to this moody tune. She makes you feel the emotive grist in her timbre. She balances her voice well against Bobby Pickett’s forlorn steel guitar, waltzing her vocal melody around its sorrowful ripples. This one pleases the ear by the way each instrumentalist, especially bass player John Pitblado, presses out his own smooth, soul soothing line.
“Cannabis And Coffee” pushes it way into the listener’s consciousness with fuzzy rock guitars and a bossy rhythm section, just enough force as Hannah belts more like one of today’s modern rocker chicks than a reggae band front person. It’s the force of nature that this song is that makes it work. It’s good rock and roll with its driving beat and feisty lead guitar personality.
Segue back into a reggae vibe as HannaH finesses the lyrics to “Save One For Jah.” Her island coolness comes through well in her slowly unfolding vocal. Her effusive rap leads this one well as it keeps everything anchored to her, drawn in by the presence of her voice. She eventually pulls this tune into an up tempo, beat-driven affair, with riffing guitar, cool guitar phrasing, and a rhythm section moving at dance speed. HannaH and her boys can take listeners into sudden new directions and we can do nothing but enjoy the ride.
“Mama Ocean” takes things into a perky, mid-tempo bounce. HannaH spreads her voice well over this tune’s lilting motions, her voice seeming to ooze downward coolly over quirky guitar and the amicable stump supporting it. Again, the lead guitar work moves far and wide, like a lasso, roping the whole thing together.
Closeout track “Another Rising Sun” showcases, again, the band’s interest in roots music, which is particularly well highlighted by Bobby Pickett’s sweet violin cries as well as HannaH’s plaintive appeal. She vocalizes well over acoustic instruments as her voice climbs ever higher, enough tug to pull the band along with her while simultaneously leaving those instruments plenty of breathing room to waft up as much in the presence of the song as the singer.
HannaH’s Field have done it again. While they’ve taken things even higher than their previous efforts, they still make music that makes people want to dance, party, and celebrate. With a few dives into roots music this band expands their sound here and there before returning to their own reggae territory. Expanding the possibilities of the lead guitar, the band has given itself more edge and the exploratory music matches the consciousness expanding lyrical suggestions about universal love, doing good, and enjoying life. Produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered by John Bolduc at Massiphonic Studio, every note on this album is crystal clear. Also featuring artists like Christina Holmes, Yvonne Mwale, Geoffrey Willard, Evan Worldwind, the album flows with a variety of colors, tones, and approaches.
