Album Review: Hilary Woods Takes A “Colt” To Desires
Hilary Woods’ Colt is simply too beautiful. I mentioned in my Sur Back review the power of haunting, and why so many, especially in terms of music, are attracted to this term/vibe. In reality, no one wants to be haunted, but Woods’ music shows that, in many ways, our desires overcast us.
Woods has described Colt as her siren song; an album meant to call people in, and drift them into a world that is both beautiful and toxic. The two energies often define humanity as a mass and individuals; we have are brilliant qualities and flaws/darker notes. From “Inhaler” to “Black Rainbow”, Woods instrumentals drop like oil in water; you watch the clarity of her fluid vocals become “contaminated” by rhythms that are gorgeous but off. It is as if you are walking into a funeral to realize, technically, it is a celebration of love. Yet. Hilary Woods’ Colt shows that “haunting” music simply speaks to feelings of being cursed or, at least, more mystical than what are simple lives appear.
Woods’ created Colt to be an analysis of desire’s complexities. So often, we let our desires define us without asking if we define or should define them. We let our wants of love and prosperity over takes us without defining what kind of relationship or career we want. Thus, Colt warps and bullets like the ancient gun its named after; sounding like an orchestrated, Western novella. “Take Him In”, “Sever”, and “Limbs” are prime examples of Colt is an darkly magical exploration on how we all must have desires, but, if we do not learn how to have them, then they have us.
As I said, “haunting” is a strange, but favored term when describing music. Yet, what haunts or empowers us more than desire? Thus, Woods’ arranges her songs like dark rivers meant to flow in the blue ocean that is her voice. Yet, she anchors the darkness and lightness of her sound through lyrics meant to show desire is natural. Hence, you must learn to nurture it: not numb it or let it overtake you. In some ways, to Hilary Woods’, desire is like a child; raise it right and it can go off to do some real good for/ in your world. For More Information On Hilary Woods And Colt, which comes out June 8, Click Here.
