Folk/Review Hawken Horse - Hammered & Hewn: Volume 1
Hawken Horse was created on a solo 14-hour drive from Nashville to Northern Wisconsin for deer season by hit songwriter and history-fanatic Andrew Scott Wills. Determined to merge his gift of songwriting with his passion for the American frontier, Wills writes songs inspired by famous mountain men and movies like Jeremiah Johnson and The Last of the Mohicans. The self-titled debut Hawken Horse and follow-up High Country pay homage to the Rocky Mountain fur trappers such as Jeremiah Johnson, Hugh Glass, and Jedidiah Smith.
Hawken Horse's "Hammered & Hewn: Volume 1" is an ambitious and engrossing trip around North America in the 17th century. This double album explores the rich fabric of American history with 28 tracks spread across two volumes. It vividly tells the tales of legendary characters like Davy Crockett, John Colter, Wild Bill Hickok, and Calamity Jane. With Volume 2 scheduled for release in the fall of 2024, Volume 1, which was released on July 12, 2024, lays the stage for an expressive musical investigation of a crucial century in American history.
Hawken Horse's creator, Andrew Scott Wills, explains that the project is an attempt to use music to "paint the stories of the West, wonderful and heartbreaking." This assessment is accurate as the album masterfully captures the spirit of exploration, self-reliance, and perseverance that defined North America between 1765 and 1887. Every song is a historical narrative that immerses listeners in the dramatic and frequently turbulent events of the time.
"Hammered & Hewn" combines a lot of Americana, rock, and folk music to create a soundscape that is both inventive and nostalgic. The precise production quality of the album is evident in each track, which contributes a unique mood to the tale. Underpinned by Wills' emotive voice, the realistic and diverse accompaniment includes everything from powerful acoustic guitar riffs to eerie violins.
Evoking a feeling of location and time is one of the album's most notable features. The listeners are taken back to the untamed frontier, the busy cities, and the vast wilderness that shaped early America. The narrative-driven lyrics are beautifully and powerfully written, illuminating not only the ordinary lives of individuals who influenced the history of the country but also the lives of well-known historical personalities.
An audio history of American history, "Hammered & Hewn: Volume 1" is more than just an album. Both music fans and history enthusiasts should listen to it since it offers an audio experience that is both informative and enjoyable. This album delivers an immersive, rich experience that is sure to make a lasting impact, regardless of your familiarity with Wills' work or your background with Hawken Horse.