Throughout their 20-plus year history, The Henhouse Prowlers have been driven by their arch determination. That’s evident in their efforts as cultural ambassadors for the US State Department for the past dozen years, courtesy of the efforts by American Music Abroad and the Arts Envoy programs. Those undertakings have taken them to 29 countries on five continents, including those in Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Europe. That, in turn, led them to form their own nonprofit organization, Bluegrass Ambassadors, whose stated mission is to “educate and inspire through the cultural exchange of music.” Those efforts have, in turn, led them to offer educational workshops for both young people and adults in a variety of settings and formats.
Last year, Bluegrass Ambassadors hosted a symposium and concert in Prague, all in an effort to bring awareness to the link between American bluegrass and the people of the Czech Republic, which can be traced to the end of World War II. That program, called Common Chords, also included an educational outreach to Czech schools.
Not surprisingly then, Henhouse Prowlers show the same sort of drive and desire in the music they record, with Unravel being a perfect case in point.
The band — Ben Wright (vocals, banjo), Jon Goldfine (vocals, bass), Chris Dollar (vocals, guitar), and Jake Howard (vocals, mandolin) — refers to the album as “an amalgamation of the thoughts, feelings and experiences of four wildly different humans that have found a way to be creative in the same space at the same time. That kind of alliance means each member often needs to strip down to the most vulnerable version of themselves and be open to opinions, change, and upheaval that very well may go against their instincts. In other words, we unravelled in the only way we know how and came out on the other side exceptionally proud of every song on this album.”
Consequently, each of these offerings shares a meaningful message, from the rousing album opener Look Up to the Sky and Poor Boy Like Me, to the more the more reflective repast of Palomino and the thoughtful designs found in Line the Avenues. Granted, they’re also adept as far as a saunter and sway, qualities expressed through the casual country lilt of Headin’ for a Heartache, the funk-fueled Space Man, and the down-home remorse that underscores Too Little, Too Late.
Nevertheless, certain songs — Climb That Mountain, and a surprise cover of Genesis’ Land Of Confusion — dig deeper into the emotional firmament and share thoughts and sentiments that reflect a singular desire. The melodies take precedence, and they’re conveyed with a polish and precision that makes these indelible impressions all the more engaging.
Clearly then, there are many layers to unravel within this sonic sojourn. It’s those designs that provide Unravel with seemingly limitless layers.
