review in Hill Country Happenings - July 07

Hill Country Happenings - July 07
www.hchappenings.com

HIX

“Really Live”

Yea-Hawlleluja Productions

From the 70s of The Buckboard Boogie Boys,the 80s of The Blast and now in the 21st Century, Butch Morgan and HIX have exceeded their fans wildest dreams with this release of their most popular original and cover songs all recorded live -really live- directly out of the PA with no overdubs, re-takes, smoke, mirrors and no net.

This is HIX in honest audio glory.

Anyone who has any knowledge of Texas music in the last few decades is familiar with Claude “Butch ” Morgan. . He has been one step ahead of the musical pack satirizing musical genres just prior to their being popular. The Buckboard Boogie Boys were performing great Americana some tongue- in-cheek just before the Redneck Rock craze hit Austin. In the 80s Butch was already in the post punk era with his widely popular and critically acclaimed band,The Blast. Although Butch is a man of faith,there is no musical genre sacred enough to avoid his strong wit and musicianship. An ad hoc reggae version of a Hank Williams song may not be for the Country purists but it underlines something that most people don’t realize sans dreadlocks, Hank Williams writes great reggae songs. Leave it to HIX to prove it.

Thought provoking lyrics are a Butch Morgan standard and one of the downfalls of HIX music is that listening to the music sometimes requires that you think to “get it ” which is why Brittany fans avoid HIX like the plague. I think it is pretty safe to say that if you don’t enjoy a HIX concert,you aren’t “getting it. ”

“Really Live” is an accurate description of the new CD as it was recorded in the environment closest to HIX hearts before a live audience. The CD was recorded at the now defunct Esquire Tavern, Kerrville’s Watering Hole, Luckenbach, Casbeers and “Someplace Else.”

Claude and HIX have had a good run so far this year. Butch won the Wildflower Music Festival songwriting contest,was a finalist for the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk award and HIX performed at Quiet Valley’s Threadgill Theater at this year’s festival. The HIX future is looking very bright indeed.

There is gold in them hills for all die hard HIX fans; whether gnarly old hippie fans from the 70s like myself or the newfound audiences HIX have won over up in recent years. The CD has eleven tracks most of which are penned by Butch and a couple irreverent and rockin’ covers. Included are a three of my personal favorites from The Blast era “WhattsaMatta,” “Dressin It Up,” and the nutty as a fruitcake “Slingin’ Language.” The covers are great renditions of evergreens, “I Got You (I Feel So Good)” and the perennial “Wooly Bully. ” HIX approach the songs from off axis and put a great new twist on both of these tunes.

I suspect one of the reasons HIX are so popular is that the musicians are all world-class. The masked man on bass who has been joined at the hippest to Butch for years is Robert “Robar ”Adams, RB handles all the keyboard work which means every instrument known to man that can be sampled and Claude ’s son Trevor providing the rock steady groove that is a HIX signature.

The CD was produced and mastered by a master RB Blackstone who has some of the best ears in Texas. His skills are reflected in the sonic quality of this CD that was not recorded in a sanitary studio environment but more challenging environments -Texas Honky-tonks. RB goes into production with,“the room we have ” and makes it all sound great.

What ’s coming up for HIX?

Get down to Casbeer ’s in San Antonio on Saturday September 15th for the HIX CD Release Party.

Butch has been hosting a Wednesday showcase at Casbeers for over •ve years with the Happy Campers and this show is sure to pack the room to the rafters as a full-blown and formal HIX appearance is a relatively rare occurrence at Casbeers.

Singer songwriters that will be attending the upcoming Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (swrfa. com)in early October will find Butch back in residence and hosting pool side showcases for up and coming writers.

This long-awaited CD was worth the wait and will be a great addition to any music lover ’s library whether a HIX true believer or new found ears.

Visit Butch and HIX at the web site butchmorgan. com and keep an eye in Hill Country Happenings for more HIX Happenings.

******6 out of 5 Star

by Greg Forrest - www.hchappenings.com