Death of a Decade

VINYL FORMAT. Vinyl features an exclusive bonus track. Limited to 1000 copies! Comes with a digital download code!

Death of a Decade is the culmination of years of hard work for Ozark quartet Ha Ha Tonka. They wowed us with their debut Buckle in the Bible Belt, matured on Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South, and without a doubt take their stand as one of the best young bands in the US on Death of a Decade. As with Ha Ha Tonka's previous releases, the band marries authentic Southern songs with modern edges on Death of a Decade, without ever coming across as gimmicky. Even if the album's songs aren't specifically of the Ozarks, the sound is—still there is traditional instrumentation (just listen to guitarist Brett Anderson's killer arpeggio mandolin lines on "Usual Suspects" and "Made Example Of"), with bassist Lucas Long and drummer Lennon Bone rounding out the rhythm section, backing up lead vocalist Brian Roberts to stampeding affect. Still there are the heart-stirring four-part gospel harmonies, a signature sound that sets Ha Ha Tonka apart from every other indie band-cum-Southern rock group that seems to be shambling out of the suburban woods these days.

Ultimately, what makes Ha Ha Tonka's brand of Southern rock so special is that it's authentic, it's effortless, and it never comes across as forced. They're masters at bringing together the traditional and the modern. They sit at the crossroads of Americana and indie, where Alabama meets Arcade Fire, shakes their hand and takes them out for a drink.