Headlines

Artist
Hank Shizzoe & The Directors
Released
2007
Genre
Rock, Americana, Singer-Songwriter
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CD, double LP, Blue Rose Records
Hank Shizzoe’s eighth release in 13 years has a lot to offer: Twelve great originals plus a never before covered tune by Bob Dylan. Handmade music between raunchy rock songs and tender ballads. This time around there are no guests: Four musicians who know what they are doing recorded this album in a couple of days. The production is raw and refinded at the same time. Real voices, real instruments playing together in one room – the real deal.
“Headlines” is available in two formats: CD with digipack and lyrics booklet and Double LP (180g vinyl) with gatefold sleeve. The album was produced by Hank Shizzoe and Oli Boesch and features The Directors: Christoph Beck plays drums and percussion, Michel Poffet wrestles his double bass, Oli Hartung plays his trusty old Jazzmaster guitar and Hank sings, plays guitars and a multitude of other instruments including Hammond organ, piano, banjo and harmonica, none of which he really knows how to play. From the catchy “Are We There Yet?” to the politically in your face “Hey Now Say Now”, from the wonderful story “49 Days And 50 Nights” to the moving tribute to the great Ali Farka Touré (“The Farmer’s Song, For Ali”), from the stripped-down ballad “Monochrome” to the full-throttle “Headline” – it’s all there. You’ll also get Bob Dylan’s “Yea! Heavy And A Bottle Of Bread”, a track originally from the Basement Tapes. The song is king, or as Hank says: “I am not interested in writing lyrics or music. The combination is what does it for me.”