English-born Holly Golightly has traveled thousand of miles, both figuratively and metaphorically, from her musical roots. She spent the first part of her career as a fierce and edgy and sometimes primitive British-based music icon. Her change of direction included a move to rural Georgia and a partnership with multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Lawyer Dave. They have now released their sixth album titled Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda.”
Their Americana sound can be classified as somewhere between eclectic and eccentric. While their name sounds like a band, they are basically a duo on stage and in the studio with only guitarist Jeff Walls lending a hand on three tracks.
A number of songs move in a strangely appropriate apocalyptic direction. “Heaven Buy And Buy” is energetic, while Lawyer Dave provides the lead vocal for “Jump In The River” and “No Judgment Day.” Finally, there is the maudlin but mesmerizing “Lonesome Grave.”
The rest of the tracks tend to travel where the wind happens to blow the duo. There is the frenetic dance trace “Karate.” There is the trailer trash rock of “Apartment 34,” which is balanced by the poignant “Jackhammer. The only cover is one of the oddball songs of the 1950s titled “Marijuana The Devil’s Flower,” which fits the tenor of the album.
Despite the quirky nature of the music, it has deep textures and a sophisticated approach. The music is cohesive, and while Holly Golightly And The Brokeoffs may travel the road less taken, it contains music worth exploring.
