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The BIG Reason

Music, opinions, and portfolio of Mark Eagleton, musician and web developer in Northern CA.

Coulda Shoulda Woulda album cover

New Music Tuesday: Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs, Coulda Shoulda Woulda

Confession: I haven’t been following Holly Golightly since Thee Headcoatees disbanded in the late 90s. This was a grave error on my part. Coulda Shoulda Woulda is the eighth release by Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs. I have some serious catching up to do, and that’s just what I’ve been doing the past few days.

The Brokeoffs are Lawyer Dave, a one-man band from Georgia. The duo records their albums on the farm they share there (you can hear roosters in the background of some of the recordings). Speaking of sharing, it turns out British 90s garage punk shares quite a bit with Americana, because this shit is magic.

Holly Golightly is delightfully vulgar on her own, but When you team her up with someone like Lawyer Dave… well let’s just say there’s a lotta cock-dicking around.

By far my favorite track on this record is “Jump in the River,” a gospel blues romp about drowning yourself in a river (a recurring theme in the duo’s previous records), ala Hoagy Carmichael’s Washboard Blues. My favorite line: “When I prayed to Jesus he said jump in the river and drown.”

Mild vulgarity, knocks at Christianity, and swampy dirt music; this record leaves very little for me not to like. But it doesn’t end there.

The performances and the production of this record really seal the deal. Not just over all, but from track to track. “No Judgement Day,” a classic 70s country gospel tune (about how god is fake), pairs a fat, muted snare drum with heavy vibrado guitar that very appropriately buries the vocals in the mix. Contrast that with the swampy call and response tune right before it, “Lonesome Grave” where everything sits right up in the mix without sounding too produced. Despite this contrast, the whole album has a cohesive sound that flows extremely well.

And “Lonesome Grave!” Now there is a lot of silly shit on this record, but it is all very human. Lonesome Grave is simply beautiful through and through—a gospel song for the Humanist.

I’m so happy I stumbled upon this. You will be too. A must buy if you like Americana.

Buy Coulda Shoulda Woulda…