Micah P Hinson - Micah P Hinson and the Pioneer Saboteurs
by Daniel Cressey
published: 12 / 8 / 2010

Label:
Full Time Hobby
Format: CD
intro
Unfocused, but ultimately surprisingly uplifting miserabilism on fourth album from Texas-based singer-songwriter, Micah P Hinson
Returning after his intermittently excellent but unfulfilling covers album, Micah P Hinson is back on familiar territory with his latest album's tales of woe and misery. He claims he hopes people find hope in this collection of twelve tracks but as an artist Hinson is always at his best when miserable. Here he reaches new levels of self depreciation – or self pity if you're feeling condemnatory. His mixed entreaty on 'Take Off That Dress For Me' may be the ultimate distillation of Hinson's mix of longing and loathing: “Sweetness, take off that dress for me/Against all hope and sense of dignity/Sweetness, you can fall in love with me/Against all hope and dignity/Sweetness you can be by my side/Against all hope and sense of human pride.” Even without any knowledge of his potted personal history, Hinson's plaintive voice keeps this above cloying misery. But his willingness to leave much of this album sparse makes it willfully and frustratingly meandering. Hinson has never been a songwriter with a slavish devotion to the standard structures for pop songs. His frequent reliance on one phrase per song works mainly because he picks a good phrase and slowly evolves it as he builds. Even by his standards though, musically many of the tracks here feel immensely unfocused. This will not phase die-hard fans who will easily be able to lose themselves in the layers of instruments and the atmosphere of Hinson's ever-plaintive moan. Unlike previous albums though, 'Pioneer Saboteurs' does lack the absolute killer tracks that hook themselves into your mind. It is blessed with some deeply enjoyable moments. The briefly perky interlude of '2's and 3's' is seems relatively thunderous when set against the low-key nature of the rest of the album. And on 'My God, My God' he manages a rare feat – being both low key, plaintive and uplifting all at once.
Track Listing:-
1 A Call To Arms2 Take Off That Dress For Me
3 2's And 3's
4 Seven Horses Seen
5 The Striking Before The Storm
6 The Cross That Stole This Heart Away
7 My God, My God
8 The Letter At Twin Wrecks
9 Watchers, Tell Us Of The Night
10 Stuck On The Job
11 She's Building Castles In Her Heart
12 The Returning
Label Links:-
https://www.youtube.com/user/FullTimeHobbyRecordshttp://www.fulltimehobby.co.uk/main/
https://www.facebook.com/FullTimeHobby
https://twitter.com/fulltimehobby
https://plus.google.com/101265945502860799533
interviews |
Interview (2008) |
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Accclaimed singer-songwriter Micah P. Hinson speaks to Sarah Mwangi after a series of melancholic records about both his more optimistic-sounding fourth album, 'Micah P. Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra' and how his recent marriage has changed his songwriting. |
live reviews |
Broadcast, Glasgow, 27/4/2014 |
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Tony Gaughan watches Texan-based singer-songwriter Micah P Hinson play his new album 'Micah P Hinson and the Nothing' in its entirety in a stunning show at Broadcast in Glasgow |
Stereo, Glasgow, 4/6/2010 |
favourite album |
Micah P. Hinson and the Gospel of Progress (2014) |
![]() |
Tony Gaughan reflects on Texan-based singer-songwriter Micah P. Hinson's 2004 brooding debut album, which has recently been reissued |
reviews |
Micah P Hinson and the Red Empire Orchestra (2008) |
![]() |
Stunningly effective and appropriately orchestral-in-tone new album from former drug addict and ex-con Micah P. Hinson whois now embracing happier times |
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