No reason to let their name fool you as Ha Ha Tonka’s new release Buckle in the Bible Belt is nothing to laugh at. Hailing from mid-state Missouri, the southern influence is readily apparent in their sound, but by track two, “St. Nick On the Fourth in a Fervor,” it is apparent that there is more to this band than standard southern rock. “St Nick” opens with an amazing a cappella harmony that has all the beauty and precision of a barber shop quartet. These amazing vocal harmonies take this band from decent to amazing and add a level of intensity that is hard to come by. From this gem of a song the band goes straight into the erratic “Gusto” which deals with the issue of meth use in rural areas, an subject that hits close to their hometown of Springfield, Mo. Ha Ha Tonka refuses to stray from tough subject matter, focusing their new album about the many problems that face rural areas like their hometown. “Bully in the Pulpit,” the eighth track, has the same fiery emotion of the very type of vehement southern preacher that the song mocks, conjuring up images of Jonathan Edward’s classic “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” sermon. While the band spends a great amount of time showing their discontent with their rural upbringing, the album reflects the deep impact of local folk music.
The combination of beautiful gospel-like vocals, lyrics that bravely tackle home hitting issues, and a mean sounding guitar creates an excellent record. Even coming through my low fidelity speakers this album creates a presence and intensity that is undeniable, and suggests that this is a band to see live. Until then lovers of hard sounding folk rock are sure to love Ha Ha Tonka’s new album, Buckle in the Bible Belt.
