Tony Hannah is an artist who was born in Tennessee and grew up in Berkeley, California. It makes sense then that her sound is influenced as much by classic country like Linda Ronstadt as by California country. The new EP Premonitions shows just how she manages to blend the two together.
Right off the bat, you hear an old-time country sound in the melody of “Small Money.” The organ gives the song a country-soul feel. Then you hear the lyrics and you realize just how different this is than pop country. “Look they’ve dealt the same old cards that they dealt before. It’s not the game. It’s not the players. It’s who’s keeping score. Unemployment check’s been spent. It didn’t make a dent. Small money’s got a big price to pay.”
The title track is a slow song that is made for slow dancing in a dark barroom while “Tacos and Goodwill Clothes” is a little more similar to a Sheryl Crow song. No matter the style of the song, Hannah’s voice never strains. She sings every note in a voice that is both easy and pretty.
“Setting Sun” is an interesting sound. Like other songs, it features an organ. Also in the background, you hear vibraphones that give the song an island touch, which seems fitting considering the title of the song.
If the job of an EP is to get you interested in an artist so you check out more of that artist’s work, then this one succeeds. As soon as these six songs are over, you want to hear more of what she has to offer. Premonitions was released in December, 2020, and is available everywhere now. Order your copy here.