SITTIN' IN A TREE...

1. 364
2. Don't Wanna Be The One
3. A Beer And A Shot
4. If Only We Were Dogs
5. Kitten
6. On Your Mind

The liveontomorrow.co.uk Review, 2007:

An EP recorded with Frank Smith (rising alt-country stars, former fellow Bostonians now decamped to Texas and most definitely “a band not a man”).

Coinciding with the release of Frank Smith’s full length album Heavy Handed Peace & Love (the first non-Juliana release on her Ye Olde Records label), the EP is the result of a short collaborative effort in the studio. And a highly satisfying effort it is too, impressively engineered, mixed and produced by Aaron Sinclair and Scott Toomey of the band.

6 songs, all with country-tinged arrangements (that’ll be those obligatory banjos and steel pedal guitars then) but not the radical departure from the continually evolving Hatfield sound this might suggest. These are Juliana’s songs after all and (not unlike Frank Smith’s previous work) the emphasis is perhaps more alt than country.

Opener 364 is classic Hatfield (co-written with brother Jason) with a powerful, emotional theme. Juliana is defiant and newly self empowered as she informs the target of the song that:

364 were for you But this day is mine so say goodbye I wonder what you will do when you find me gone Who will feed you, stroke your ego and love your songs?

Don’t Wanna Be The One follows a similar theme with a reluctant (but inwardly hopeful?) Juliana predicting karma for her deluded recipient. Malice may not be intended but the pessimistic warning that happiness doesn’t last pervades. Musically, it’s bluesy rockabilly-ish (clap you hands along with it, you know you want to) yet it still wouldn’t sound too out of place on the last Some Girls lp.

Three songs in and observational analysis gives way to an abandonment of introspective restriction. Juliana loosens up and decides that all she needs is A Beer And A Shot. Don’t we all sometimes? Lovely uptempo melody and a nice instrumental outro too (although it stops just as it gets going – an extended mix please?)

Lyrically this carefree outlook leads nicely into If Only We Were Dogs. On the last Some Girls record, Juliana sang of free people ‘needing social control’. Here she sings of a desire to abandon such social traits with perceived happiness obtained from wrestling in the mud, howling at the night and, if you will, licking crumbs off plates together. Layers of feedback give this song an old school indie feel in parts.

From canine to feline with fifth track Kitten, at face value a quirky if twee ode to a delicate lost pet. Juliana once said, possibly mischievously, that ‘For The Birds’ was an allegorical observation on US crime and given the mood of the tune there is likely to be similar metaphorical imagery at play here (perhaps a reflection of lost innocence). It just isn’t obvious. Beautiful melody and vocal on the chorus too.

Were this just a 5 track EP it would be wonderfully entertaining and another welcome addition to two decades of consistent songwriting. The sixth track however elevates this cd to another level.

On Your Mind is simply fantastic. Familiar to many of Juliana’s fans and an instant favourite ever since it’s public debut on the solo electric tour of Scandinavia in late 2006, the studio version more than meets expectation.

Matching the acoustic beauty of anything from Make It Home to Choose Drugs, the vocal delivery is evocative and the recording perfect. Frank Smith’s arrangement of back up instrumentation and just the right level of guitars should not be underestimated either.

Short on lyrics but it doesn’t need much more than the key repetition of the main line

Am I Ever On Your Mind?

It says it all and the melody matches the sentiment.

Just as the song approaches its end, Juliana adds a layer of vocal harmony and takes the tune to another ethereal, otherworldly place.

It could be the perfect soundtrack to the perfect movie.

Fans need no descriptive words to explain their love of Juliana’s music to their friends. They just need to play On Your Mind.

Then play it again.

Personnel

Juliana Hatfield – vocals and guitar Aaron Sinclair – guitar, vocals, drums on "Kitten" Scott Toomey – guitar, keyboards, and vocals Brett Saiia – banjo, vocals Steve Malone – pedal steel guitar Dan Burke – bass Drew Roach – drums