Over the past 17 years, Hillstomp hasnât changed much about their brand. The Portland duoâHenry Hill Kammerer on vocals, guitar, and banjo, with John Johnson on vocals and ramshackle drumsâis still committed to hill country blues, still preaching the gospel of R.L. Burnside, and still banging away on overturned buckets and trashcan lids. But even within these limits, theyâre finding ways to grow and experiment. The bandâs new record, Monster Receiverâtheir sixth studio album and second for Portlandâs Fluff and Gravy labelâdraws different elements into their music, creating a richer and more sonically diverse sound.
Tracks like âHagler,â âComes a Storm,â and âLay Down Satanâ are driven by Kammererâs juke-joint guitar riffs and Johnsonâs familiar shuffling percussion, while Kammerer continues to master his skills as a banjo picker on songs like âThe Way Homeâ and âIâll Be Around.â But Monster Receiver shines brightest on its guest appearances: Songwriter Anna Tivel fiddles on two songs, Portland harmonica virtuoso Dave Lipkind plays on âGoddamn Heart,â Hong Kong Bananaâs Amora Pooley Johnson sings backup throughout (most effectively on the slow, haunting gospel blues track âAngelsâ), and Erik Clampitt provides pedal steel guitar on the albumâs most gentle and touching song, âDayton, Ohio.â
Described in a press release as a âlove letter from Kammerer to his parents,â âDayton, Ohioâ is evocative of Fluff and Gravy labelmates Richmond Fontaine, and confirms Hillstomp can do more than the âbang-crash-bangâ songs theyâre famous for. Of course, Monster Receiver still has plenty of those, like âSnake Eagle Bluesâ and âGoddamn Heart,â which are the kind of hand-clapping, foot-stomping sing-alongs that have earned Hillstompâs live shows a rabid following. While Monster Receiver doesnât rewrite the Hillstomp playbook, itâs a refreshing and welcome contribution to their discography, and should solidify their status as one of the Northwestâs most durable and reliably exciting acts.