Search - Jeffrey Halford and The Healers :: Hunkpapa

A rocking jewel

s_helmut | Foster City | 04/12/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This entire album proves that songs with nasty grooves can have artful and intelligent, inspired lyrics. The album opens with an eclectic mix of songs that firmly stake out broad territory. Great song writing and solid playing that "paints" around Halford's well chosen words is the common ground. The songs that follow the opening set do not fail in delivering upon their considerable promise.The subject matter of Halford's songs deals with Hobos, lost loves, Ghosts, spousal homicide and dying soldiers and yet, somehow by the end of the CD one feels uplifted by the power of the Human spirit. Go figure.This guy is one to watch!"

Solid CD

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 03/15/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jeffrey Halford's "Hunkpapa" is a solid CD offering. The country Americana genre has many great artists like Fred Eaglesmith, Joe Ely and Delbert McClinton. Halford's CD may not quite rise to their level, but when he's hot, there's no denying him. The excellent opener is "Stone's Throw" where I swear there's a rock banjo! The credits just list Halford's guitar, but he sure makes it sound like a banjo in a country rock song, "Inside they're cutting up a rug, lifting up a jug, about a stone's throw away when the shovel hits the mud." The guitars chime and Jeffrey wails on the midtempo "Radio Flyer." Guitar picks out the traditional melody of "Oh Susanna" before Jeffrey's song kicks in, "I'm not scared." On "Black Gold" the guitars snarl on this electric rocker, "Telecaster knows how I feel." "St. Vincent de Paul" is a generic melody with a mildly interesting lyric. "Lost & Found" is a booming slow tune, "Right in time, but not in sync; you can't mix water with ink." "Memphis" is a classic rocker worth the price of the CD. The infectious hooks on "Till you've been to Memphis" put this in Fred Eaglesmith territory. ".44" is the obligatory country tune about guns. "Small Craft Advisory" is a slow # in search of a melody. "Crazy Horse" is hot outlaw rock. "Satchel's Fastball" is a bouncing rocker about the famous baseball player (Satchel Paige, I think). The CD closes with "Straight Razor" with a driving lead guitar, "Nobody's gonna ride this train." Halford & the Healers don't hit on this CD with every track, but when they do hit, they're so good you won't want to have missed them. Enjoy!"