Hank Harris’ latest collection Beautiful Planet is another high-water mark in a songwriting career that has flown under the mainstream radar. The eleven-track song cycle defies its label. Calling these recordings Americana is a useless parlor game. They are, resolutely, songs, and nothing more. They defy easy categorization.
It doesn’t mean we’re in alien territory. Much of the aural landscape is familiar, though never predictable. One aspect that subverts the listener’s expectations is Harris’ persistent juxtaposition of dark points of view with comparatively upbeat musical settings. The album’s first cut “Modern Medicine” supplies us with an ideal illustration of his method.
The mid-tempo lilt of the arrangement pushes back against Harris’ thorny lyrical content. He doesn’t frame his dark point of view with billboard-obvious lines. His songwriting is often a masterclass in understatement. “Modern Medicine” shows that. The light layering of instruments throughout the piece never sounds cluttered. It’s airy, light on its feet, and relaxed.
“Beautiful Planet” shares many of the same characteristics. One of the underrated strengths fueling Beautiful Planet is outstanding vocal arrangements. The album’s title cut is a prime example of this. He peppers the performance with well-chosen moments where double-tracked vocals have a magical effect. Memorable melodic virtues govern the song and fit in lockstep with the ska/reggae-like bounce propelling the track forward.
“Grace” is one of Beautiful Planet’s best moments. Harris’ frequently evocative use of acoustic guitar never drags those moments into folk song territory. They conjure an atmospheric ambiance that is never merely ornamental. Pronounced longing counterbalances his withering take on life. However, Harris never goes so far in a darker direction that listeners will turn away.
A strong electric guitar presence throughout “Selfie” counterpoints inventive keyboard textures threaded throughout the arrangement. Harris’ lyrics for the song are another high point and stand out when compared to the other fine writing on this release. Blues influences make themselves felt during “Sonny Boy”. The title references blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson, and Harris namechecks other renowned luminaries in the song’s words. It’s personal in an unique way than other material and further reveals his ability to shift gears.
“11 Time Zones East” meshes keyboards and guitars in a creative way. It’s a highly stylized piece but never shallow. A degree of self-conscious artistry permeates the performance without ever striking a false note for listeners. Harris’ vocals for this cut are especially emotive but never risk self-parody. The accessible pop sensibilities underlying many of Beautiful Planet’s arrangements reach another zenith with the song “I’ve Got It Bad”. However, some listeners will undoubtedly prefer a cleaner vocal approach. It’s one of the best “sleeper” numbers on this album.
Another highly stylized moment arrives with the final track. “That’s When I Think of You” has an intelligent lyric, arguably one of Beautiful Planet’s best. Harris gives it further distinction with memorable singing. It lowers a final curtain on the collection that will linger, like the earlier ten tracks, long after the last note. Hank Harris’ Beautiful Planet isn’t a perfect album, but it’s close.
Claire Uebelacker