Ha Ha Tonka - Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

As the title, implies the inspiration behind Lessons stems from life's biggest ones. The notion of life's immediacy is kept firmly at the forefront of Lessons. The band toys with the theme of living beyond a normal lifetime- the concept of reliving and rewriting our lives, and the lessons we can all learn along the way. Sonically, Lessons marks a departure from Ha Ha Tonka's more stripped down style to one that is filled with rich instrumentation.

2017 . Over their history, Ha Ha Tonka has recorded four critically acclaimed albums, toured the world, played Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, and appeared on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. Through it all, these Ozarks natives have made friends, found love, started familes, and grown and matured together. Heart-Shaped Mountain is a reflection of that development and maturity. Once aptly summed as InchIndie-Americana, where Alabama meets Arcade Fire, Inch Ha Ha Tonka has expanded their sonic palette, unveiling balanced, sublime, pop radio accessible heights and an emotionally broader, post-punk songwriting range, a la Apache Relay or a less enigmatic Jonsi, while keeping their trademark harmonizing vocals, jangly Southern revelry and crunchy hooks fully in tact. At it's core, Heart-Shaped Mountain is an album about love and growth. At a time when divisiveness fills the headlines, Ha Ha Tonka is fighting the good fight, building narrative-tributes to friends and loved ones, memories past and prospects of the future.

DEATH OF a DECADE is the culmination of ten years of hard work for this Ozark quartet. They wowed US with their 2007 debut BUCKLE IN THE BIBLE BELT, matured on 2009's NOVEL SOUNDS OF THE NOUVEAU SOUTH, and without a doubt, take their stand as one of the best young bands in the US on this, their third LP. As with Ha Ha Tonka's previous releases, the boys manage to marry authentic Southern songs with modern edges on DEATH OF a DECADE, all without ever coming across as gimmicky.