Queenie and Hank (Henry Wagons) finally release their long-anticipated self-titled duet album this week.
This broody country inspired collection drips with sadness and regret, providing a modern twist on classic country duets.
Queenie is one of Melbourne/Naarm’s freshest new voices and marks her first major release since her debut album New Moult. This time she teams up with Hank/Henry Wagons a veteran with a career spanning over 2 decades, 10 albums and who is a pioneer in the Australia indie-country scene.
The 60’s influenced album harks back to days gone by. It’s cinematic sound drawing memories of Hollywood Westerns on the silver screen, but this seemingly fated collaboration also manages to pull country music strongly into the modern era. The stand-out tracks are those where Wagons and Queenie take turns on the vocals rather than performing simultaneously. There’s just something more captivating about this performance style that draws you more deeply into the emotions of the song – and isn’t that what country music is all about. Got What it Takes is probably the finest example and Queenie’s powerful, beautifully textured vocals that open this tune are goosebump-worthy.
Parts of Anyhow I Love You (a reimagining of Guy Clark’s classic) is another great example and in the early section of this song the vocals take on an almost call and response patter which weaves their respective tonalities together in a compelling way. In the true duet parts it can, at times, feel like a bit of a battle between the two vocalists and the backing track, but oftentimes they get this right, the harmonies do truly shine on Bad Moon Rising, for example – one of my favourite tracks on the album.
It’s an interesting, probably unexpected venture from both these artists but it’s one that’s enabled them to show a different side of their work which is something important to celebrate.
You can listen to the album here.