Ghost Dance [KLP186/ARKAM76]

The Pine Hill Haints' album, Ghost Dance, takes its name from the late 19th century Native American movement. In many ways the movement died in flesh in the 1890's, but spiritual the cry has gathered steam. The society we have given ourselves shines bright, glaring from the green corporate star, taking us away from the land, away from our spiritual self, and into the great binary plastic system. The Pine Hill Haints long for a day when this wasn't the case, and so, attempt to channel and haunt us with the memory of who we once were.  Growing up in the lower Appalachians, The Pine Hill Haints learned its sound from old men and women playing on porches and in living rooms, under ancient oak trees and paper mill forests. The 19 tracks on this album are a massive flow of music. Some songs were written on the day of the recording, and others 400 years ago. When You Fall and Say Something, Say Anything explore the feeling of holding an empty hand out to someone you love. Phantom Rules and Raggle-Taggle Gypsy channel Africa, the Cherokee Nation, Ireland, and the modern times. Recorded partly by Calvin Johnson in Dub Narcotic Studio, and partly by Lynn Bridges (Devendra Banhart, Immortal Lee County Killers) at the Black Owl Trading Co. in Alabama, Ghost Dance is runaway children, train jumpers, the mystery of life and death, and the smashed skull of the once mighty Choctaw Nation: these are the themes that run strong throughout the recordings. Repressed on Arkam Records in 2018.   The digital version of this album is available from Bandcamp. Spirit of 1812 For Every Glass That's Empty I Never Thought The Day Would Come When You Could Hate Me So Dearly Say Something, Say Anything St. Louis Blues Phantom Rules When You Fall Death By Stereo Garden of the Dead Whisper In The Dark You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond Catfish Angels St. James Infirmary Blues Cuckoo Bird Columbus Stockade Blues Walkin Talkin Deadman Ol' White Thang Blues Raggle Taggle Gypsy Leo O'Sullivan's Story Wake Up