Robert Hill: Press

" While we’re talking about local musicians’ musicians, singersongwriter-guitarist Robert Hill has lived in New York for the past 20 years, but he grew up in North Little Rock and still draws on the state for inspiration. His excellent blues album My Corner (SOR, $12.97) — which features some fantastic acoustic guitar work as well as Hill’s crafty rootsy originals — has been in rotation in my car for a couple of months now.
(The CD’s packaging deserves a mention: Hill says the sepiatone photograph that adorns the front cover is of his father as a boy, circa 1930, outside a Hot Springs barbecue stand. The back cover photograph dates from the early 1900s; it’s of Hill’s grandfather in the doorway of his Pine Bluff advertising company.)"

"Rainbow Come Down On Me; Mix Myself a Perfect Dream."

I'd heard the opening track "My Corner" before I received this beautiful CD to review. I was struck by how the harmonica solo at the end of the song really managed to paint a picture of the narrator. When I heard that solo in my imagination I could see this lost and tired man dancing on a dark street, a bottle in his hand and his eyes turned towards the heavens. Oftentimes when songwriters attempt to tackle the lost characters in society they either over- dramatize or only brush the surface. Robert Hill puts flesh on the bones of society's underdogs in his songs. Whether he's writing about a tragic homeless guy, a simple country woman, or the children of Liberia, Hill shines light on the humanity of the characters in his songs, reminding us that we are all related. Listening to the CD I see the world through the characters' eyes and feel it through their hearts. The music and production never get in the way of the story, and there's an interesting mix of modern and old-timey sounds. Musically the songs incorporate influences from the entire range of this wonderfully colorful music called Americana. Hill's guitar, resonator, and harmonica playing shine without getting in the way of the songs, and the CD even includes two instrumentals "Smokestack," and "Forbidden Fruit," which we'll probably be hearing during the closing credits of a movie by this time next year. All around "My Corner" is an honest, hopeful, reckless adventure in what it is to be human. Stand-out tracks for me are "Blessed Dream," one of my favorite new songs in several years, "Smokestack," and the closing song "Washing Away."

Hill's 1999 self-titled debut was an electric affair, a solid blues-rock effort with two or three songs displaying a penchant for Middle Eastern-accented arrangements á la Led Zeppelin or Derek Trucks. For his sophomore outing, the award-winning Arkansas singer/songwriter/guitarist takes a folk-rock route, choosing largely acoustic arrangements.

The emphasis this time is on storytelling. There's the autobiographical "Another Chapter," about love found, lost and regained; the tributary "Angelina"; the reflective "Different Faiths"; the biopic "Country Soul"; and the condemnatory "First to Fight."

There are instrumentals ("Smokestack" and "Forbidden Fruit") and even one of those Zeppelinesque tunes ("Blessed Dream"). But what really hits home is the tear-jerker title track, told from the point of view of a man relating how he came to be homeless.

Tying it all together is Hill's authoritative guitar work, including occasional Dobro and mandolin and plenty of slide. Support work by pedal steel guitarist Bob Hoffnar and background singer Joanne Lediger (Stir Fried, McMule) top it all off nicely.

His latest CD, My Corner, celebrates the appropriation of Roots/Rock
in much the same way as an aged bourbon mellows in it's seasoned oak
barrel... with character, earthy presence and persistence. This CD should be enjoyed by all who find pleasure in fine guitar picking, smooth vocals and
gutsy ballads.

The colleagues from Guitar Player praised Robert Hill’s "impressive slide technique" and they don’t do such ratings without good reason. And indeed, Robert Hill, who was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas, has a lot to offer with his acoustic as well as with the electric slide guitar. But that isn’t all. Robert Hill tells stories and he does so with an intensive and rock influenced voice. Blues and roots-rock are the main specialties in the oeuvre of Robert Hill who can be heard live mainly in the New York area. One seems to find influences from Little Feat to Lynyrd Skynyrd. But Hill keeps the blues always in sight, reminds of Chris Whitley’s melodic times as well as John Hiatt. On this album, he is accompanied by powerful musicians that fit perfectly into the concept. On the instrumental "Slide on Rye" Hill sounds like Sonny Landreth did in his best moments. Another very good song is "Workingman’s Curse", that lasts for nearly eight minutes and could have been written by Bruce Springsteen. People who like honest roots rock must have this album!

Guitarist/singer/songwriter Robert Hill's self-titled CD is a dynamite listening experience that's an amalgam of rockin' blues, southern-fried slide work and roots rock. Featuring his subtly brilliant slide guitar work, the CD offers two excellent instrumentals, "Ozark Passage", with its live-in-the-room-sounding acoustic slide, bowed bass (courtesy of Matt Gruenberg and driving groove, and "Slide On Rye", a four minute plus, sinuous electric slide charged rave in which Hill gets to play over Keith Cotton's rousing piano accompaniment. A third instrumental, "Crater Of Diamonds", closes the CD, and is no less entertaining, with its moody, lyrical, and sometimes snaky, electric slide leads dominating the piece. Of course, Hill is also a strong and impassioned vocalist, delivering his lyrics with the conviction of someone who walks the walk. Among the standout vocal tracks is the almost eight minute "Workingman's Curse", with its funk-meets-blues solo passage and poignant message. If you've enjoyed music from bands such as Little Feat or artists such as John Hiatt, you'll delight in discovering Hill - who should not remain 'Undiscovered' for long.

"Versatile guitarist who uses layering, tone, texture and good taste to keep the listener riveted. Good singer, mean slide player- here's to more efforts like this from Hill."

"A sparkling effort that shows his immense talent as a slide guitarist. Hill's music draws from the Little Feat and Radiators mold, and it stands favorably with those great artists. There's a funky Feat feel to "Rose City" and the passionate "Sweet Salvation," while he rips up a slide storm in the rollicking instrumentals, "Slide On Rye" and "Crater Of Diamonds." The best cut, though, is the eight minute "Workingman's Curse," which has Hill stretching out with some dazzling playing."

"Robert Hill's impressive slide technique draws liberally from the late Lowell George of Little Feat (with a little Ry on the side) on an original tune called 'Slide on Rye.' "