A Spectrum of Tradition
Folk collides with old-time rhythm and blues on Rhiannon Giddens’ latest five-song EP, Factory Girl. Following the highly acclaimed album, Tomorrow is My Turn, this is the second solo project Giddens has released. As an original member of the folk group Carolina Chocolate Drops, Giddens doesn’t stray far from her roots, as Factory Girl seems to draw from similar inspirations as her larger group.
Even with only five songs, the spirited Giddens manages to pull in listeners with her booming voice. On the opening track, she urges listeners to “look down, look down that lonesome road before you travel on.” The intensity of her voice gradually increases, as does the briskly-paced drums and fiddle, almost begging the listener to tap along.
“Didlbox (Mouth Music),” may be the only track worth skipping over, as the monotonous structure and lack of audible lyrics won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. However, it stands as a quality example of Gaelic mouth music, and Giddens does an impressive job of weaving a song with only her voice (including some background beat boxing).
According to her label’s website, “Moonshiner’s Daughter” is drawn directly from Giddens family history, as her great grandfather was a rum runner. The singer gives off an edgy vibe as she smoothly sings “I’m a moonshiner’s daughter / And I’ll fight you if you wanna. / I was born to break the law.” The outlaw feel continues throughout the song, with lines like “Daddy’s luck ran out one moonless night / The boys in blue had him in their sights / He told me to run and I never looked back / And I heard two shots on the back country track.”
“Underneath the Harlem Moon” takes a different route, with a substantially bluesier feel—almost as though Giddens would be just as at home performing in a New Orleans jazz club. It is arguably the most surprising and intriguing song on the entire record. The EP then closes with its title track, ending on a somber note. Between the melancholy singing and haunting fiddle, the seven-minutes of “Factory Girl” strikes an eerie chord.
Factory Girl sees Giddens experimenting with a variety of styles, each with unique and impressive results. With such sonic diversity in such a short span of time, there’s bound to be something to please all lovers of folk and blues.
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