ALBUM PREMIERE: The Repeating Arms Are Creating Bluegrass for the 21st Century on ‘Higher Than Lonesome’

Born in Dayton, slap dab in the heart of planet Ohio, The Repeating Arms is a five-piece string band. Combining equal parts Americana, roots, grass and rock, The Repeating Arms have spent nine years nourishing a musical seed planted nearly a decade ago. Harold Hensley croons believable heartfelt lyrics, while keeping the rhythm on guitar, Max Nunery creates a synth like banjo roll, all his own, all while singing that high tenor harmony, Brian Spirk cuts through the mix with percussive mandolin rhythms and leads, are you thoughts seem to dance with the violin, John Lardinois classically executes other worldly violin parts, while still sawing through his instrument on the dance inspiring “fiddle songs”, Rob Thaxton holds down a dark and danceable low end on upright bass, making it impossible to sit still.

The Repeating Arms’s new full length record Higher than Lonesome, is a nervous mountain drive, navigating love, life and the loss thereof, with Patrick Himes (Reel Love Recording Co.) driving the bus. The Arms leave no stone unturned, stretching their roots into the soil, creating fast, melodic soundscapes, with dark undertones. Murder ballads, love gone wrong songs and thought provoking lyrics are strewn about the canvas.

The Repeating Arms have left their mark regionally at festivals and venues, proudly sharing the stage with the likes of Chris Knight, The Henhouse Prowlers, Tim O’Brien, Larry Sparks, Mountain Heart and Lonesome River Band. The Repeating Arms strive to reach new audiences and get back out on the road.

String bands weave an interesting pattern into the fabric of the American musical tradition. Far from the bloated, bourgeoisie rock or pop scenes, bluegrass bands have been instrumental in crafting the soundtrack of working class strikes and revivals. They’ve also accompanied long, lonely nights of heartbreak and longing. From the opening notes of The Repeating Arms’ newest record, the aptly titled Higher Than Lonesome, it’s clear that this band is tapping into a genre with a rich, historical legacy to talk about the present feelings of isolation and despair that permeate the culture today.

Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive early listen to the band’s album ahead of its official release this Friday, August 13th. Davy Haynes pens some thoughts on the album…

Hailing from the factory city of Dayton, OH, The Repeating Arms attempts to combine bluegrass, folk, and rock in their urgent and harmony-laden songs. Guitarist and vocalist Harold Hensley provides the foundation for the songs, as banjo player Max Nunery and Brian Spirk surround the strummed chords with leads and layers. Violinist John Lardinois provides lively and beautiful string leads. And to round out the sound, upright bassist Rob Thaxton provides that bottom end thump that’ll have you tapping your foot in time.

Musically, Higher Than Lonesome is a festival of melodies. Each of these musicians knows how to coax gorgeous tunes out of their respective instruments. And together, they litter the sonic landscape with ear-wormy parts steeped in folk tradition. Hensley’s voice is gritty and frank, at times bringing to mind Son Volt’s Jay Farrar. Album opener “Higher Than Lonesome” sets the stage for what’s to come, with its pulsing acoustic strums and furious fiddle solo. A friend of mine says that the second song on any record should be the best one. And here, The Repeating Arms deliver. “Digem” is a spectacular song, opening with almost classical violin and mandolin arpeggios before divulging into a rambunctious yet beautiful country number. “Falls Like Rain” and “Be My Heart” move the record into ballad territory, bringing to mind some of the country greats like Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, or Townes Van Zandt.

Smack dab in the middle of the record, “Down” picks up the pace again. Nunery’s banjo picking is sharp as a tack on this one, filling out the sound so beautifully on this one and the following “Cold Morning.” The mournful “House Of Lies” shows the raw emotion that Hensley can muster from his voice. There’s no shortage of amazing vocal performances on this record, but the one on this track feels extra special. As the record heads towards its final moments, the songs become much more swampy. “The Glow” and “Sleepy Driver” sound as though they were written in the backwoods of Alabama, with the frogs croaking in the background.

On “Digem,” Hensley sings, “In between my grieving / look up at the stars.” After the difficult and draining year of 2020, this line really reflects the current times. While a plague of biblical proportions has ravaged our sense of security and safety, it’s important to remember to look up at that night sky. The band describes Higher Than Lonesome as “is a nervous mountain drive, navigating love, life and the loss thereof.” There’s something comforting in the sound of these traditional folk instruments, and the human voices that accompany them. I encourage you to turn on Higher Than Lonesome the next time you feel misunderstood, alone or frightened. I think you’ll find some comfort here.

Listen to the album below and check out our exclusive interview with the band…

 

You made this record with Patrick Himes at Reel Love Recording Co. What was the experience like?

In the Dayton Music Scene we refer to Patrick Himes as the “Wizard”. He has such a great ear and the gear and knowledge to back it up. We set up in the live room and experimented with several different mic placements until we found the sweet spot. We recorded the record live in two sessions. It was an excellent experience to just go in and do what we do and have it captured so beautifully.

There’s a lot of heartache on this record, surrounded by the exuberance of these acoustic instruments. Is that a dichotomy you were conscious of when writing the songs?

I’ve always been a fan of a good sad song and I think these arrangements delivered the heartache in a way that was easier for me to process. The songs arrive to the band in their most raw and organic form, we then try to build the song from its original foundation.

What’s it like to be a string band in 2021? Are there challenges to making acoustic music in a world that is so digital?

We definitely wouldn’t call what we do Bluegrass in the traditional sense but we can’t get away from being a string band. It has really worked to our advantage in a lot of ways. We can jump on a bluegrass fest today and support a rock band in a small club tonight. I think it has a lot to do with the way we deliver the songs in a live setting. I would say the only negative of being analog in a digital world is that if you aren’t into strings you may overlook us.

What’s next for The Repeating Arms? More recording or touring?

We are super excited to be booking and playing shows post pandemic. We are already booking for 2022, in hopes to properly support the new record. We are also finishing up the arrangements for a new EP and working towards another full length record. Losing a year and a half of our lives has really lit a fire under us and our main goal is to play live, it’s a feeling we have all missed so much.

Photo credit: Jennifer Taylor

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