Madeline Hawthorne – Tales From Late Nights & Long Drives
This lady comes from the Dolly Parton & Reba McIntyre tradition with some exceptions. An attractive playful vocal style with energy & an abundance of splendor. Her voice casts a wide net musically.
She has a loose & crazy approach that adds new twists to old ideas. A trio of innocence, playful conviviality & a conniving wink of the eye has always been appealing in real life as it is in cleverly sleek country songs. No one ever accused Reba of being seductive & no one ever said Dolly was vulgar. It’s what’s perceived. It’s show business. Madeline is immune as well. Because she’s that good & likable.
Despite Madeline’s suave rhythms & savory vocals on each of her 11 tunes from Tales From Late Nights & Long Drives (Drops June 14), the pieces are all solid whether with their country-spark or occasional rock swipe they’ve been captured terrifically & with clarity by producer Ryan Hadlock. The last time I heard songs this neat it came from a perky Kellie Pickler on her Rolling Stones-type rollicking tune “Red High Heels.”
Madeline’s voice is still an innocent suggestion — what she sings about doesn’t come with a Dr. Pepper but a Pabst Blue Ribbon. She doesn’t hit the bullseye every time but never stabs the freshly painted wall either. Even her slower ballads like “Chasing the Moon,” are compelling & she wrings out every drop from her creativity.
The album takes a trek through excellent storytelling but it’s “Neon Wasteland,” that comes with a hearty rock n’ roll frolic sung with the seductive air of a Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane/ Starship). Madeline’s inflection, phrasing & attitude are displayed meticulously in her song. It’s all on the kick-ass mark—wonderful guitar penetration through a carefully thought-out performance.
While many of Madeline’s songs are sung well, “Pittsburgh,” is exceptional. More range & power. Impressive. A song that will stick to the walls of your ears like peanut butter does to the roof of your mouth. It has a great melody with a good choice of words. And where one has been in their life, will affect their creativity. So, born in New England & living in Montana that’s quite a panorama of views, senses, people & experiences for a songwriter.
There’s an intelligent songwriter at work here. Songs such as “So It Goes” will not come from a juvenile artist or howdy doody boy with a plastic guitar. This is a disciplined artist. What’s equally cool is how Ms. Hawthorne has etched out a fashionable sense of her own & with her music — their colors run together quite impressively & consistently.
Highlights – “Cold Shoulder,” “Night Ride,” “Chasing the Moon,” “So It Goes,” “Pittsburgh” & “Neon Wasteland,”
Musicians – Madeline Hawthorne (vocals/multi-instrumentalist).
B&W photograph courtesy Dan Brader CD @ Amazon + https://madelinehawthornestore.com/products/copy-of-boots-cd