live performance REVIEW
First Congregational Church (Winchester, MA)
January 12, 2020
by James Gerke
“I had the pleasure of hearing the band Hank Wonder perform Friday night at a coffeehouse concert, as part of the “Ripley Presents” series in the newly renovated Ripley Chapel of the First Congregational Church in Winchester, MA.
Here’s the “TL/DR” version: if you like good music, go hear this band. You know what good music is. Even if it’s not in your wheelhouse, you hear it and think, “This music is good.” That’s the kind of music Hank Wonder plays. And you’re in luck! They have another show coming up on January 26th at Club Passim; a double bill with The Revenants.
The band’s slogan is, “Where the twang of Country Music meets the grit of Southern Soul!”. But that’s just the address where the cabbie drops you off and says, “Enjoy the show!” From there, Hank Wonder takes you on a musical journey that zigzags across geographic and metaphorical locations, with stops along the way including young love, jealous love, nostalgia (for both the past and the future!), the human experience, and some slow drive-bys so you can appreciate the small, often-overlooked details of life.
The travel agent, conductor, and tour guide for this journey is lead singer and lyricist/composer Darren Buck. Hank Wonder started out as a cover band, and Darren said he never thought about writing original songs until one day he did. And wow, can he write! His lyrics are clever, touching, and fun. Darren delivers these lyrics in a powerful vocal style that at times evokes the soulful essence of legends such as Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, the high tenor of Steve Perry, or the mournful wail of Martin Sexton, but always possesses a quality that is uniquely his own.
The trio version of Hank Wonder is rounded out by Mike Loria on guitar and Annie Bartlett on fiddle and back-up vocals. One of the wonders of Hank Wonder is how big a sound just these three people produce. They really felt like a much larger band. Mike plays every inch of his guitar, from bass lines and rich soulful chords to intricate pick work. Annie’s classical training is evident in her masterful solo turns and fills in all the right places. The band’s 2016 album “Little Mysteries” includes additional instrumentation such as pedal steel, banjo, mandola, horns, and harmony vocals, but on the stage, those are hardly missed, as the masterful construction of the songs combined with the perfect balance of the trio creates the illusion of all that accompaniment in your mind’s ear.
When you combine such fine musicianship, great songwriting, and tight ensemble playing, you’re going to end up with a fresh, enjoyable sound. Song after song not only impressed me but was also fun to listen to. Hank Wonder = good music.”
waylaid album REVIEW
WUMB (91.9FM) Monthly Newsletter
June 2, 2021
by Perry Persoff
“June 11 will bring us an album that also sounds prime for summer in its pace and in the character of its songs. That is "Waylaid", the second album by the Boston-based trio Hank Wonder. Their first album was produced by Charlie Rose. For #2 they have Zachariah Hickman. That’s two albums with excellent producers and musicians from the Josh Ritter-Mark Erelli camps (among other local musicians; Zack also plays bass with Ray LaMontagne).
If you aren’t already, be prepared for a raft of albums with themes of getting through social lockdown. This album is not necessarily one of them. After all, the band started recording it in 2019. But the project was stalled by the Pandemic in 2020. The band and Hickman picked it up again this past February. Most of the tracks are upbeat and high-spirited. Listening, I could not help but feel the music embracing the twin forces of getting out of the New England winter with expecting to get out of Pandemic-related social restrictions. A great example is the first released single/video. Released in late February, “Flip Side” is all about imagining being over the hump of really any adversity. The video shows friends from all over the world presumably communicating with you, the viewer. And the idea per the lyrics is “I’ll see you on the flip side, though I know it might be a while. We’ve just gotta make it to the flip side.” Normally in February, we’re talking the flip side of Winter (and songs like this will get me through it). This time, we are also talking the flip side of this Pandemic.
The album starts with a rip-roaring bit of therapy for anyone who hates wearing ties. A few songs will take you to outdoor locations for the summer, one a slower track that just might make you feel the cool breeze on a wooded lake in the north country. There is a salute in under two minutes to the many phrases of disappearing money; it is cracking good fun and features nary a breath from any of the players. Another song that paints a visual picture features two vibrant characters who could have come out of an old Ma & Pa Kettle movie. Up to this point, WAYLAID will have you bouncing around the room some and smiling a lot. The last song…then sneaks in and takes you someplace totally different. “My Margery” is a beautiful waltz featuring Zack Hickman playing an old pump organ. There is haunting piano, And most of singer Darren Buck’s vocals are subtle and understated, yet emotional and very effective. Where they could be acceptably conventional, the lyrics are creatively specific and sometimes potent. And if you are so into music that you speak what I’ll call “the language of albums,” this song will squat in your head for days if not weeks.
Joining producer Zack Hickman as musical guests are: Sean Staples (mandolin), Dave Brophy (drums and percussion), Annie Baker (harmony vocals on “Waylaid in Grand Lake”), and Lisa Bastoni (harmony vocals on “My Margery”.)
Otherwise, the sound on this album is also “like buttah.” Atmospheric where needed. Personally I am usually not a fan of strings. They are gorgeous here. And Annie Bartlett’s fiddle work…she has stepped it up a notch. So kudos to Zack Hickman for his production work as well as musicianship. This album is a very good next step for the band. Put this album on and you will feel like you are loading up the camper van for a trip. Maybe it will be to somewhere Hank Wonder is playing. I can’t wait to see them perform this album live.
Thanks for letting me take up your time to gush about music in our backyard.
See you next time,
- Perry”
QUICK Q & A WITH HANK WONDER’S DARREN BUCK
September 7, 2021
by Kathy Sands-Boehmer
“Hank Wonder is a Boston-based band that makes me smile…a lot. When I think of them, I think about “good time” music. Whether it’s an upbeat dance tune or a melancholy ballad, their sound is irresistible. The band members – Darren Buck, Annie Bartlett, and Michael Loria- are pros. Their songs are cohesive units that take you on a fun ride oozing with creativity and charm. Imagine walking into a club and seeing this trio on stage and scratching your head and smiling from ear to ear when you hear hints of “Your Cheating Heart” and “You are the Sunshine of My Life” in the same song! Pure Joy.
How did Hank Wonder become Hank Wonder?
‘Hank Wonder was actually an idea I had during my decade living in NYC. In 1998, I was between musical projects and listening to a lot of Classic Country (Hank Williams, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, etc.) and Classic Soul (Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Stevie Wonder, etc.). I placed an ad in The Village Voice classified section, seeking musicians who might want to marry those two genres into a new musical project. I titled the ad: “Hank Wonder.” The name was a mash-up of two legends. I got no response.
Fast forward fifteen years. I was performing as a guest vocalist in a Boston-based cover band led by two old college friends. They offered me the chance to perform a song of my choice with any of the musicians in the group. I chose to sing the Everly Brothers classic “Let It Be Me” with two band members I had just met. Annie Bartlett on fiddle and Michael Loria on acoustic guitar. I knew right away that the sound was Hank Wonder. Patience pays off!
How would you describe your sound?
‘We call it “Soulful Americana.” In our promotional materials, I still include a phrase first coined by Jake Armerding back when we first started up. “Equal parts down-home and gussied up.”
The combination of Hank (Williams) and Stevie (Wonder) makes me think of country music merged with rhythm and blues. Please give us some info about the band members, including yourself.
‘We all come from different musical backgrounds, with some overlapping elements. Annie Bartlett is a classically trained violist and violinist, Michael Loria has played guitar in bar bands since he was a teenager, and I’ve sung in choirs, cover bands, original bands, and on musical theater stages in New York City. I think all three of us look at this band as an opportunity to grow as musicians, expanding our individual palettes while folding our three unique styles into the overall Hank Wonder sound.’
Darren, I know that you are a visual artist and teacher as well as a musician. Can you compare and contrast the creation of a piece of art and the writing of a song?
‘To me, both processes require humility, patience, and trust. For me, it’s crucial to remain humble. While my skills may be sharpened a bit with each project, I’ll never have it all figured out. I can devote hours to attaining some level of mastery (technical skills in drawing, painting, printmaking, graphic design, singing, guitar playing), but that’s only one small part of it. The composing of melodies, arrangement of chords, and writing of lyrics often feel like they’re not even up to me… which brings me to patience. The spark of creativity will come when it’s ready, and forcing it never seems to work for me. I need to be patient and trust that my inspiration is like a field being nourished all the time. Harvest will come, but I’ll never know exactly when. One of the big parallels between visual art and songwriting is the importance of walking away from your work, trusting that anything worth the effort will endure, despite gaps in the process. For me, overworking something can often be a death knell.’
Waylaid is your newest album. How does it differ from your previous album, Little Mysteries?
‘A musician friend of mine once remarked that a songwriter’s first efforts are often like “studies” after the music he/she/they have loved and listened to up to that point. Hopefully, as a songwriting style develops, inspirations are less obvious, and a true voice begins to emerge. I feel like Waylaid demonstrates a true arc of growth for me. I’m not there yet, but getting closer to developing my true voice as a songwriter.
Additionally, I have a real appreciation for songs that pack a punch without lingering too long. The total running time of Waylaid is under 40 minutes, a testament to how short its songs are. I’ve been to a lot of songwriter open mics, where songs often go on and on. I’m of the mind that you should say what you need to say without wearing out your welcome with the listener. It takes work to keep your songs tidy, and not all songs need a bridge!’
Was Waylaid in the can before COVID hit us all or did you work on it during quarantine?
‘Seven of the album’s ten songs were recorded in November 2019. A return to the studio was delayed by COVID, but we finally got back to Q Division in February 2021. We recorded three additional tunes. “Wilbur Driscoll & the Widow McGee” and “Flip Side” were written in the time between the sessions, and “Loons on the Lake” was a tune I had been kicking around for a bit.’
‘Waylaid in Grand Lake’ seems to me a song dedicated to an idyllic time and place–something that we all desire. I was especially struck by the lines about troubles hovering like hummingbirds. The song evokes a closeness to nature in that way. Do you have a special location in your life — is Grand Lake a real place?
‘I absolutely love that you picked up on the hummingbird line. Friends of ours head out to Grand Lake, Colorado every summer to spend time in a cabin built by one of their ancestors in the early 1900s. We went out there in the summer of 2018, and fell in love with the place. Thanks to an airline I won’t mention, we were delayed getting there… and delayed leaving. That extra day in Grand Lake was even sweeter, after having a chance to experience its magic! The song is about a fictional music-making couple who are stranded in a nearby town (thanks to a broken down Volkswagen Westfalia), and decide to just stay there!
If I had to pick a special place, it would be the state of Maine.’
I’m curious about your songwriting about characters–the way you tell a story about people like Wilbur Driscoll and the Widow McGee. How do you approach the song – is it much like writing a short story with a hook in terms of character development?
‘I suppose that song is a lot like a short story. Probably because I’m a visual artist as well, imagery played a big part in developing the song (i.e. the house upon a hill, the barn out back, the mercantile, the bench beneath the oak tree). When COVID first set in, I devoted a lot of time to making an animated music video for the song. I think it helped to soothe me when the world felt like it was shutting down.’
The song ‘My Margery’ is a special one. I enjoyed the references to the record albums that were important during the relationship of the couple. What is it about shared musical memories that are etched in our hearts and souls so vividly?
‘To me, there is no stronger bond than the one formed by a shared musical experience. When a song is tied to a romantic partnership, and that partnership comes to an end… just a note of that song is a potent reminder of what once was. I guess that’s where that song came from. I am so proud of how that song came together in the studio. Zachariah Hickman did such a phenomenal job of preserving the tenderness, emotional rawness, and intimacy of the lyrics.’
Do you have any music aspirations that you’d like to attain in the short and long term?
‘I’d love to commit more time to improving my skills as a guitarist. I’m envious of the singer/songwriters who can accompany themselves with such ease onstage. Though I’ve been singing my whole life, I only started playing the guitar just under ten years ago. I made a vow to get to the point where I could comfortably strum a handful of chords. I never dreamed I would start writing my own songs. It’s as if I’d unlocked some kind of gate for them to walk through! Though I’m certainly not the most prolific songwriter, I’m still amazed I’ve managed to write the 25-30 tunes that I have. It still feels new to me, and I never want to lose that feeling.’”