Mid-West-based Americana singer-songwriter Kenny Hotopp releases his new album, The South Looks Good on You, an exploration of love, loss, introspection, and family.
The South Looks Good on You showcases Hotopp’s evolution as an artist, shaped through his work with Nashville musicians who took his songs and expanded them into fully realized arrangements. As the project progressed, it became a cohesive statement, influenced by his experiences in Nashville, capturing both his musical and personal growth.
What started out as laying down tracks for an album soon took on more meaning, mirroring the changes occurring in Hotopp’s life. According to Hotopp, he felt completely immersed in the music. It was like he was singing along to his own songs in a karaoke booth.
Hotopp began his music career playing with Kenny and the Night Owls, a country band. After one of the members of the band passed away, the energy of the band altered, so Hotopp decided to go solo.
The album was recorded at Hilltop Studios in Nashville and mixed and mastered by Adam Knight. Musicians playing on the album: Chris Leuzinger and Austin Crum (electric guitar), Austin Crum and Adam Knight (acoustic guitar), Duncan Mullins and Aaron Dingus (bass), Tony Dingus (steel guitar), David Yates (fiddle), Jonathan Presnell (drums), Tim Kinchen (sax), Randy Miller (harmonica), and Victoria Bowlin (backing vocals).
Entry points on the album include the opening track, “American Legion Days,” a song about Hotopp’s time in the Air Force. The gentle shimmer of the harmonics is wonderfully complemented by Hotopp’s deep tenor bordering on baritone voice with a delicious, rounded ring to it. Bowlin’s vocal harmonies infuse the track with a glowing luster.
A personal favorite because of its tight, popping snare and luminous, gleaming guitars, “Guitar Songs” pushes out layers of tasty country tones. On this track, Hotopp drops his vocals down a notch, producing an oh-so velvety baritone.
“July Moon,” another gem of a song, features simmering vocal harmonies, twangy guitars, and a creamy, swaying motion that lures listeners in. The swing of the melody, along with Hotopp’s thick, viscous vocals, makes the song immersive. It’s one of those tracks that just feels right.
The sensuous drift of “Lost Track of Time” conjures suggestions of George Strait – silky-smooth vocals, whiffs of bluesy textures, and a supple, flowing melody. There’s a quixotic longing running through this track that works its way into your heart and soul.
With “Saved,” Hotopp delivers a bewitching song composed of softer instrumental accents, low-slung, radiant harmonies, and Hotopp’s beseeching voice. The side-to-side movement of the rhythm is contagious and compelling.
The title track, a song about Hotopp’s daughter going away to college, began as a poem and then evolved into a song. Hotopp says, “She came home… looking healthy, having fun… and I just said, ‘The South looks good on you.’”
Two great tracks close the album out: “Straight Line,” an electrifying country-rock song highlighted by a wailing harmonica, and “When I Was 17,” a tune layered with twangy tones and just the right amount of pushing rhythm, as well as Bowlin’s charming harmonies.
The South Looks Good on You is a grand album, primarily because of Kenny Hotopp’s rich, larger-than-life voice.
Discover more about Kenny Hotopp here.
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Kenny Hotopp “Early Times”