: Press/Reviews

Hungrytown Leaves You Wanting More

by delarue

You’ve heard the joke: the greatest songwriter of all time is Anonymous. But songs like "Long Black Veil" and "John Henry" didn’t spontaneously appear around a campfire somewhere on the great plains or on an Appalachian mountain trail: somebody actually wrote them. The songs on Hungrytown’s latest album Any Forgotten Thing have that kind of resonance. The duo of Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson have immersed themselves in classic American folk music to the point where they’ve been able to pick up where those regrettably uncredited songsters left off. This effort is rustic, yet in the moment: decades from now, if there’s anyone alive, Hall’s broodingly aphoristic songs will be remembered as the folk music of the early part of the 21st century. Her nonchalantly lilting yet minutely nuanced vocals pack a quiet wallop, as does her casually purist tunesmithing, while Anderson’s elegant mandolin, percussion and harmonies match the subtlety of the songwriting. This isn’t the kind of music you hear at Starbucks although some of it might someday be played in the ruins of one.

The album opens with "Year without a Summer," a creepily blithe waltz that makes a great companion piece to the Rasputina classic. “I gave myself up at the age of 13,” Hall sings with a chilling matter-of-factness. We all know what happened to spring in 1816 – and the scariest part is that the rest of this song could easily be true. The next cut, "Rolling Train" explores a slightly less intense kind of unease: “You are a sleeping town in the middle of the night, and I am a whistle blowing in the morning light,” Hall sings with cheshire cat seriousness – it’s a song that wouldn’t be out of place in the Laura Cantrell songbook. The potently metaphorical "Never Realized," a gentle look back in anger and regret is another one that evokes Cantrell, while the title track, a bouncy folk-rock shuffle, makes a great follow-up to John Prine’s "Hello In There." Here, Hall’s aging narrator doesn’t see fit to wind the clock on the mantle, although she is eager to replace the doorbell. Touches like that are typical here.

A couple of tracks here are studies in jealousy: "Make It All Work Out," which walks the fine line between funny and suicidal, and "Sally Lazy," which shares that song’s swirly, psychedelic keyboards but ends on a slightly more optimistic note.  Banjo mingling hypnotically with echoey Fender Rhodes piano, "Just Like a Song" contemplates daily ironies, while "Calliope," a phantasmagorical waltz, evokes Judy Henske’s most menacing, trippy late 60s work. As usual, Hall’s metaphors are on a time-delay fuse, whether in "Falling Star," where she hopes the meteorite had a soft landing, or in the fatalistic "Under a Broken Sun," which (maybe intentionally, maybe not) perfectly and poetically capsulizes life during the early global warming era. The album ends with the gorgeous folk-pop gem "Like You Do" and "The Sweetest Flower," a perfectly lovely (and perfectly bitter) a-cappella duet that sounds straight out of the Appalachians circa 1860. Whether traditional Americana, recent Nashville gothic like the Handsome Family or Mark Sinnis, or the more psychedelic side of 60s folk-rock is your thing, this album is a treat.

It took them roughly three and a half years, but Vermont-based folk outfit Hungrytown have finally released the follow-up to their 2008 self-titled debut. With Any Forgotten Thing, the husband-and-wife duo of Ken Anderson and Rebecca Hall deliver a potent reminder that some things are worth the wait.

The album opens on “Year Without a Summer” — a chilling thought for Vermonters as the first hints of autumn begin to appear in trees around the state. The song is set in 1816, following a catastrophic volcanic eruption that plunges the Northeast into an endless winter. The protagonist is a young girl whose beloved has promised to marry her in the springtime, but, as it snows month after month, she is left waiting. Hall’s tender, crystalline voice softens the tune’s desperation, yet perfectly captures the sweet innocence of young, unrequited love. The slow, drifting waltz sounds as though it comes from a long-gone era, as much of the material throughout does. And that cuts to the core of what makes Hungrytown special: a reverence for the music of our collective past, tempered by a keen modern sensibility and a gift for heartfelt storytelling. The music simply transcends any particular time or place.

Hungrytown are often pigeonholed into the retro-folk movement — in part because they sort of look like they walked out of Greenwich Village in 1963, or maybe off the set of A Mighty Wind. But Any Forgotten Thing finds the duo exploring new sonic territory. “Never Realized” is a bright, harmony-fueled pop ballad that’s more Belle and Sebastian than Ian & Sylvia. The title track is a gently loping, banjo-driven charmer that evokes Alison Krauss & Union Station. “Calliope” treads dreamily into early acid-folk, with sleepy chimes and serpentine accordion. “Make It All Work Out” is a cheery, Wurlitzer-driven pop nugget featuring ’60s-style harmony.

But don’t think Hungrytown have abandoned their roots. The 12 tracks on Any Forgotten Thing boast more than enough unabashed folk styling to satisfy purists. “Rolling Train” is a classically spare, acoustic number — and, after all, it uses a train metaphor, which instantly boosts folk cred, right? “Just Like a Song” is a stunning, mid-tempo banjo-and-voice ballad — OK, with a touch of organ. “Like You Do” is as sweet an ode to the insecurity and second-guessing of new love as you’ll ever hear. And the record closes on an a cappella number, “The Sweetest Flower,” that sounds as though it drifted north from the Appalachians.

Unadulterated folk from Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson that calls to mind Judy Collins, Nick Drake, and Simon & Garfunkel among others? Yup. This is the real deal and instead of sounding painfully earnest and, as a result, dorky, Hall and Anderson instead inhabit the material with an uncommon honesty that wins the listener over with a gentle swiftness on tracks such as “Rolling Train”, “Never Realized”, and “Sally Lazy”, to name a few. It’s great to hear an act eschew sentimentality in favor of honesty (that word again) and to prove that you don’t have to go raiding the memory of others to find the stuff that really good songs are made of.

FOUR STARS ****

Hungrytown are a throwback, but in a good way.  They play what used to be called American folk music, folk music without the frills, folk with predominantly Irish and Scottish influences, but which nowadays would be filed under 'Americana'.  Had they been around in the 1960s, you could imagine husband and wife duo, Ken Anderson and Rebecca Hall, packing them into Greenwich Village clubs and coffee houses.  There's a simple, unadorned majesty to their songs that vividly recalls this era.

Hall's alto is compelling, especially on 'Year Without A Summer' (set in 1816, when some parts of the north-eastern United States, already prone to cold winters, were snowed upon every month), 'Caliope', 'Falling Star' and the title track.  Anderson, who accompanies her on a variety of instruments including accordion, banjo, glockenspiel and mandolin, complements Hall perfectly throughout.  His finest moments can be heard on the aforementioned 'Caliope' and the utterly beguiling 'Sally Lazy'.

Simplicity is a gift in music, a fact well-appreciated by Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson, collectively known as Hungrytown. The duo spends most of their time on the road, and spends their time at home together laying down new material to keep the fire going. Their latest effort, Any Forgotten Thin, plays like a collection of twelve classic folk and pop songs, but is entirely original and driven by the simple beauty of Rebecca Hall's alto and the sparse yet fulfilling arrangements crafted by Anderson. Any Forgotten Thing also features a trio of backup vocal performances from the talented Laura Molinelli.

Any Forgotten Thing opens with "Year Without A Summer", the tale of a young lass who gives herself up with the promise of a spring wedding that never happens. He leaves town and she is left with a baby to care for, all set against the Poverty Year of 1816, a period of global cooling caused by the Mount Tambora (Indonesia) volcanic eruption of 1815. The number plays like an Irish folk song, and is beautiful in its naïveté and hope. "Rolling Train" is a pretty folk ballad that uses deep energy to describe a relationship. The arrangement is striking, infusing European sounds into the mix while allowing the simple beautify of the melody to reign. "Just Like A Song" is a song of hope, memorializing the struggles of day-to-day life to the process of writing music.

"Never Realized" is a message to all who will listen to make the most out of the time they have; pointing out time's tendency to slip away with the dreams we never acted upon. There is no melancholy or loss here, just a simple wish to not wait to do the things that make you happy. Anderson's arrangement is a perfect complement to the melody line, creating a quiet yet notable "Wow" moment. "Any Forgotten Thing" explores the feeling of behind left aside in a mildly peppy and poignant tune that is as refreshing as it is surprising. This could have been written as a self-pitying tale of woe, but becomes beautiful in its honest, unaffected delivery.

"Calliope" is an ethereal number using the instrument and its traditional placement in a circus carousel as an allegory for the way the mind circles around regret for past choices. This utterly artful piece of songwriting is lyric in word and poetic in composition; a thing of beauty. "Falling Star" is the stripped down wonderment of night; Hungrytown's sparse arrangement allows Hall's eclectically lovely voice to shine. "Make It All Work Out" uses subtly biting humor to poke holes in the facade of modern consumer culture, where mindless and spineless define perfect citizenship. Hungrytown accompanies the story with a smarmy little folk/pop arrangement that is just out of sync; giving the appearance of perfection but only if you don't look too closely. This is accomplished without giving the ham-handed appearance of a blatant attempt, implying a quiet genius in orchestration that is worth keeping an eye (and ear) on going forward.

"Under A Broken Sun" is a mournful and poignant number that dwells on the suffering of those who live in constant danger from the world around them, while "Like You Do" is a gentle kiss off that isn't as mutually benign as it may, at first sound. Hall calls out a former love match for unspecified dysfunction, but portrays it in a fashion that shows the dysfunction ran both ways. Hungrytown closes with "The Sweetest Flower", a gorgeous a cappella piece with its roots firmly planted in Appalachian folk and the high lonesome sound of Monrovian Bluegrass. It's a gentle slip into the good night that will draw you in, hoping for more from Hungrytown.

Hungrytown travels the rails and back country roads of folk, country and gentle pop on Any Forgotten Thing. The mix of Rebecca Hall's voice and poignant songwriting, and Ken Anderson's brilliantly simple arrangements is musical gold. This is an album you put on 'repeat all' and live with for a while, and then revisit often in the comfort of old friends. Any Forgotten Thing is destined for year-end, best-of lists.
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

****1/2

Here’s proof positive that simplicity can be musically sublime, a dozen times over.

Apart from background vocal contributions by Laura Molinelli on three songs, what you hear on this album is pure undiluted Hungrytown. Rebecca Hall features on guitar and vocals, while Ken Anderson, alphabetically speaking, adds accordion, banjo, bass, drums, electric piano, glockenspiel, guitar—pause for breath—harmonica, mandolin, organ, percussion and vocals. Hall contributes five compositions penned on her own, the seven other selections being Becca and Ken co-writes. The credited studio is Song Catcher Recording, in other words the duo’s West Townshend, south central Vermont home. In that regard their approach smacks of the early efforts captured on America’s other coast—Oregon—by the late great Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer in the latter’s kitchen. Carter lyrics were Gordian Knot constructions, and Hall is no slouch when it comes to conceiving an engaging folk style lyric.

In April 1815 such was the ferocity with which the volcano Mt. Tambora erupted—the largest such event in recorded history—on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, that weather patterns during the ensuing year were altered across America and Canada—if not the entire northern hemisphere—resulting in harsher than normal winters and bleak sunless summers. With Rebecca taking the lead vocal on the appropriately titled "Year Without A Summer," that’s where ANY FORGOTTEN THING begins. While the latter facts form the song’s backdrop, therein the female narrator recalls New England’s frozen rivers that left mills powerless, and a lover who promised but failed to marry her when springtime came. The duo’s vocal harmonies on "Just Like A Song" are silky smooth and quite sublime, while on the ensuing "Never Realized" their voices brought to mind the styling’s of those delightful Roche girls.

A harmonica introduces the album title song, which takes as its theme the daily struggle to keep up with life, while the waltz-paced "Calliope" was inspired by the popular nineteenth century fairground musical instrument. Once upon a time, Rebecca and Ken resided in Manhattan’s concrete canyons, and the 1960s style pop melody that accompanies "Make It All Work Out," most certainly brought to mind the Brill Building song factory—home to Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil et al. Performed a cappella by the duo, "The Sweetest Flower" closes this charming collection.

The first time I listened to Hungrytown’s brand new release, "Any Forgotten Thing," I had yet to read the press release or peruse the CD liner notes. As the lovely acoustic tracks and gorgeous harmonies floated by, one by one, I found myself conjuring up questions to ask the Vermont-based duo for a preview of their CD release party this Saturday (tonight!) at Jamaica Town Hall.

One of the first questions to come to mind was along the lines of, "Hey, I really liked some of the folk ‘traditionals’ you chose to interpret -- how did you come to choose the ones you did?"

Then I read the liner notes and was bowled over. It turns out that each of the compositions were penned by the couple. . . .

Wait, there's more!  Please click on the link below.

Hungrytown are a duo consisting singer/songwriter Rebecca Hall and multi-instrumentalist Ken Anderson.  Any Forgotten Thing is a delightful and echanting album that seems to fall between top draw Americana and the Seekers. Full of insightful vignettes about people and their relationships with lovers, familes and places. There's a looseness about the album that gives it a very homely feel, the exception is the signoff track, "The Sweetest Flower," an unaccompanied track about loss, that can only be described as stunning.  A real jewelbox of an album.

I was pretty well charmed by this Vermont duo (Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson) when they released their debut CD at around this time last year.  It was a genuine, unpretentious, feelgood-but-thoughtful record that melded American and English folk traditions, and belied the duo’s rather nerdy appearance as a pair of bespectacled, distinctly-60s (or else just plain timewarped!) college librarians!

In very many ways its sequel, Any Forgotten Thing, presents more of the same, audibly cut from the self-same cloth, but if anything the songs are even more memorable; and this time round, all 12 tracks are original compositions by Rebecca (seven of these co-written with Ken). As before, the songs receive uniformly intelligent musical settings that might be described as gently retro acoustic, on which Rebecca’s intensely attractive singing voice and modest guitar playing are set into appealing counterpoint by Ken’s expertise as a multi-instrumentalist (banjo, accordion, mandolin, glockenspiel, bass, organ, harmonica, etc), always (importantly) suiting the mood of the song. And, equally importantly, cradled with gorgeous vocal harmonies. Anyone in search of a ready reference-point could do worse than invoke Trader Horne (the duo formed by ex-Fairport vocalist Judy Dyble with Jackie McAuley at the start of the 70s) or mid-60s duo Ian & Sylvia; both of these acts are recalled in the airy freshness that Ken and Rebecca bring to their music, the transparency of texture, clarity of expression and openness of thought. Taking specific examples:  "Like You Do," a rearrangement of a song from Rebecca’s earlier album, could indeed be an outtake from the celebrated Trader Horne LP Morning Way, while the mood of the eponymous first Fairport album is often brought to mind, in the duo’s beautiful harmony vocal work especially (check out the title track for instance), although the latter feature also at times evokes early Simon & Garfunkel (as on the wistful "Under A Broken Sun").

On the lilting opener "Year Without A Summer," a standout track, Rebecca takes a simple, traditional-sounding melody and structure to tell the tale of a historical event (the eruption of the Mt. Tambora volcano in April 1815), while "Make It All Work Out" is closer to sunshine-pop in its breezy ambience and Calliope makes the most of its mournful carnival gait. Rolling Train is a touchingly reflective opus that’s impossible to get out of your brain, while "Sally Lazy" is a neat little lullaby. Then – almost best of all – there’s the delicious simplicity of the closing number "The Sweetest Flower," done in absolutely perfect a cappella, which in structure and approach is another of those Carter-Family-style dead-ringers that Hungrytown seem to have down to a T. Yessir, Rebecca and Ken have produced another very special and lovingly crafted record, which you’ll not regret investigating.

Once again husband and wife team Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson offer up another dozen gentle and uplifting self-penned songs on this their second album. Recorded in their Vermont 'Song Catcher' home studio and produced by Anderson, the songs on Any Forgotten Thing sound as timeless as any traditional songs from the 1960s folk boom. 

 With Rebecca's crystal clear vocal and Ken's empathetic multi-instrumental accompaniment, providing not only guitar but banjo, accordion, mandolin, keyboards, bass and drums, the duo embellish their songs with some richly observed arrangements. Added to this are those unmistakable harmony vocals, one of the duo's strong points, enriched even further by the additional voice of neighbour Laura Molinelli, who contributes to one or two songs.

 The album's theme mirrors the fact that it was recorded at home, with songs inspired by the couple's move from the hustle bustle of Manhattan to the hills of Vermont and the duty of care that comes with home ownership in the wilderness. The fact that the couple were welcomed to their new surroundings by a supportive neighbourhood inspired the new songs, recorded during a two month break between touring.  

 If "Year Without Summer" chronicles the cold winter of 1815, reminding us that the seasons and their effects have a much more vivid relevance in rural America than in the city, then the couple's new surroundings are no better captured than in the title song Any Forgotten Thing, which addresses the notion that unless we take care of our surroundings, things will crumble around us.

 Whilst "Never Realized" demonstrates the duo's gift for collaborative song writing with a memorable lyric and engaging melody, the haunting "Calliope" captures the feeling of the fairground with its swirling accordions and dramatic drum rolls, demonstrating the couple's command over arrangement.   

 With the a cappella song "The Sweetest Flower" closing the album, Any Forgotten Thing comes over as nothing less than a ray of sunshine on a spring day.

Hungrytown are long-time married couple Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson; they've both been involved in music-making for a long time and have made the long step from, respectively, torch songs and rock music to make folk music of astonishing delicacy and purity. In the process of making this long step they relocated from New York City to rural Vermont, and I guess that has helped them in the process of making their distinctive music.

          It is Rebecca Hall's voice and her songwriting that make Hungrytown what they are. She sings gently and with a pure tone that reminds me a little of mid-60s folk/pop sounds; it's the very antithesis of rock music and its attitudes. Clearly, somebody who once sang torch songs  could probably sing any-which way she wanted and so has made a very positive choice to go for this style.  Ken Anderson is responsible for the arrangements that fit around her voice and contributes some seamless harmony vocals as well as any instrument required other than Rebecca's acoustic guitar - instruments that appear so unobtrusively you barely notice what is being played a lot of the time. If Rebecca is the nightingale, singing with a voice of captivating beauty, then Ken's arrangements are a lacework of branches, a frame of natural beauty in itself.

           Rebecca's songs are a quite remarkable re-working of several centuries of folk tradition. She's certainly immersed herself completely into the whole business of how these songs are put together. Once or twice I had to check, and then check again, that this wasn't a traditional song I was hearing. In fact, there's an awful lot about this album that sounds more English than American - apart from the song The Sweetest Flower, which owes an awful lot to Robert Burns - and I suspect this English tone comes from reaching so far back into the American tradition that the two streams are rejoined.  Her subject matter is often contemporary, about relationships or about living in a tumbledown old house, but the delivery takes you back to a quieter age, without the rush and noise and intense busy-ness of our modern lives.

           Contemporary American folk music is full of people trying to evoke times gone by and there seem to be almost as many ways of doing this as there are old-timey acts. Hungrytown have a distinctive slant on this whole idea and I think the quiet beauty of their music almost sounds like a prayer for calm in a febrile world.

. . .

Hall and Anderson’s tranquil melodies and beguiling delivery charm from the get-go, with amber tones and a back porch perspective that is both seamless and restrained. Anderson’s agile arrangements provide a tender touch, and his remarkable affinity for instrumental embellishment finds him tastefully overlapping mandolin, organ, harmonica, glockenspiel, banjo, accordion and percussion atop Hall’s lilting vocals and beguiling ballads. There’s no shortage of lovely material, all of which adheres to a traditional template. Consequently, the dainty “Sally Lazy” and an infectious “Make It All Work Out” are compelling reasons for repeated listens, while closing track “The Sweetest Flower,” sung a capella, confirms those dreamy designs. Naturally then, Any Forgotten Thing will likely be remembered for what it really is… a sepia-tinted patchwork of tender and reverent Americana. 
Lee Zimmerman, No Depression

Hungrytown is American folk music at its zenith . . . retro yet shiny and new, like a freshly minted copper penny. If you’ve been craving folk music of substance, head off to Hungrytown.

On this self-titled debut release, the band's lauded songwriting strength is evident. The nine original tunes rest comfortably alongside two traditional folk songs and a cover of Gene Clark's "With Tomorrow." Folky balladry, upbeat country, bluegrass and even a bit of rock 'n' roll are all featured on the album. This ecleticism serves the band well and gives the production an engaging dynamic. Hall's vocals are wonderful, pitch-perfect and rich in emotion, perfectly paired with Anderson's harmonies. The vocal arrangements range from simple to lush. Hungrytown recalls a number of performances past and present--shades of Judee Sill, Emmylou Harris, Neko Case and The Byrds. Hungrytown is an accomplished and enjoyable folk record. It is both haunting and pleasant, delicate yet arresting. Hall and Anderson have cultivated a wonderful musical rapport that will endear them to many as they continue to tour and record.

DIY Top 12 Picks: June 2008
Hungrytown, the handle for husband-wife duo Ken Anderson and Rebecca Hall, purvey a down-home sound with flair. Cast with fiddles, mandolins, banjos, bluegrass and balladry, their self-titled debut dwells in rustic environs.

In fact, Hungrytown’s music offers such an aura of Americana—in titles and tunes—it could be easily mistaken for traditional transcripts. “Rose or the Briar,” “November Song,” the title track and a willowy cover of Gene Clark’s “With Tomorrow” boast a delicacy that’s engaging. Hall channels the graceful, reassuring presence of Judy Collins and Sandy Denny, while Anderson’s lithe arrangements provide spare but tasteful support. It’s an unassuming offering that could very well put this Hungrytown on the map.

Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson, better known as Hungrytown, have combined a personal and professional relationship for more than 14 years. They’ve also traveled thousands of miles not only across America but overseas, and become one of the more celebrated acoustic duos in the country. The 12-song disc features Hall’s soothing, enticing alto on several haunting, superbly performed numbers like “One Morning in May,” “Rose Or the Briar,” “Every Day,” “Solid Ground” and “On The Other Side....[and] spotlights the sweeping harmonies and close musical ties between Hall and Anderson, plus Anderson’s impressive command of numerous instruments.

Hungrytown is the Vermont-based duo of singer/guitarist Rebecca Hall and singer/multi-instrumentalist Ken Anderson, who on this debut CD present a country-flavored close-harmony sound that mixes in occasional touches of bright, mellow pop. Hall, who handles the lead vocals, has a warm and expressive alto voice that seems to come from somewhere between 1920s North Carolina and 1960s London. The duo's mostly original material blends smart modern lyrics with a traditional Americana feel, as in "Solid Ground," a close-harmony love song in waltz time, and the upbeat bluegrass gospel of "On the Other Side." Hall and Anderson are also adept at borrowing and updating themes from old ballads, as in "One Morning in May," a timeless lament for soldiers gone off to war.

A solidly wrought set reflecting the New England setting where the CD was recorded....Utterly charming and endearing work.

Charm! And so much of it! Listening to this record, I not only want to hear more of them, but I'd also love to be their friend. I'm filled with visions of trudging through the harsh Vermont winter, jug of maple syrup under arm, smile on my face; they've invited me to one of their patented pancake jamborees. And I can hardly wait. Folksy folk who seem like a genuine good time, give 'em a listen!

Hungrytown is easily the best album by Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson. First, it must be said that these two have found a way to be so retro that they make normal retro seem as recent as tomorrow. Ken Anderson's look, in publicity photos, is such that he could step onto an early 1960s television set and instantly fit in. Maybe he would be a comedy writer who doubles as on-air talent. Second, this is the duo's best production by far.

Hungrytown is strong from start to finish, a thing that cannot be truthfully said of many contemporary full-length albums. Third, Hall and Anderson are building on the great strength of their earlier work. Rebecca Hall has a creamy voice that would be perfectly at home in a 1960s soft-rock group, yet she applies a steady mellow tunefulness to a good variety of traditional songs and old-time-oriented originals which often feature moments of darkness and mystery. This duo's edge is buttered on both sides.

Hungrytown is an album that would be welcome on the stereo here anytime.

Hungrytown has a charmingly low-keyed sound. You may think you've heard it before, but if your experience is like mine, you'll have a hard time placing it precisely, which probably means Anderson and Hall are more distinctive than you might have thought on first hearing. If Hungrytown is readily identifiable as a folk outfit, it is not one that sounds like any you've encountered recently. Their writing is richly infused with traditional references and sensibilities. Though it isn't, "Weep Not for Me" could be an antique heart song A.P. Carter picked up on one of his innumerable song-collecting rambles, and it's not the only one. The writing is uniformly strong but always understated, the musicianship first-rate but never ostentatious.

On Hungrytown, Hall’s knack for penning tracks that sound like they withstood the test of time and belong in public domain music records, really shines through. Everything about this hushed music screams, 'Listen!,' even if Hungrytown’s voices never go beyond a whisper.

Husband-and-wife folk duo Hungrytown is as classic as they come, performing original ballads that sound as if they have been passed down from generation to generation. Award-wining songwriter Rebecca Hall lends her smooth voice and understated lyrics, while Ken Anderson’s rich but spare arrangements make use of his multi-instrumental talent.