The Hymns

The Hymns' singer/guitarist Brian Harding is often compared to Wilco's Jeff Tweedy or Pavement's Stephen Malkmus. In a pinch, there's a bit of Britt Daniel in there too. And it's true, Harding's nasal slacker wail incorporates bits and pieces of those-who-shalt-be-worshiped-by-rock-critics. But to me Harding echoes less these modern voices...

By Jonanna Widner

August 9, 2007

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The Hymns' singer/guitarist Brian Harding is often compared to Wilco's Jeff Tweedy or Pavement's Stephen Malkmus. In a pinch, there's a bit of Britt Daniel in there too. And it's true, Harding's nasal slacker wail incorporates bits and pieces of those-who-shalt-be-worshiped-by-rock-critics. But to me Harding echoes less these modern voices and more Mick Jagger in his country moments, those "Love in Vain," "Far Away Eyes" and "Honky-Tonk Women" times when Jagger's voice would crack with a fake Southern accent masking real emotion. When the Hymns are chugging along at their California country-rock finest, it's similarly hard to know where the hipster drawl ends and the true Carolina boy comes out, and therein lies the fun.

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