Review by Rick Huff
New IWMA member Don Holladay actually released his five-song EP a little while back, so we’re catching up to him. Three of the five tracks are set in Western locales.
Real-life stories of made-up people
Holladay’s vocal style is direct and unvarnished when he shares details of “real-life stories of made-up people,” as he puts it. In one of the songs a story that seems to be from an earlier time plays out in “Hetty’s Dark Eyes,” wherein a prominent man and a common girl share a history.
In “Cardboard Heart” a working cowboy ends his day by going into town to catch his girl as she ends hers at the cafe where she works. They marry, and they keep a souvenir — a valentine he gave her on that day in Valentine, Texas.
When Chaplin Came To Dallas
“When Chaplin Came To Dallas” (w/“Smile”) commemorates The Little Tramp arriving to entertain and promote “Modern Times,” the 1936 release containing his famous love theme. This track is a bit more fleshed out instrumentally with fiddle and brass augmentation.
Holladay searches for and finds the heart behind the facts. In coming days it’s going to be interesting if Holladay chooses to turn his view more directly toward the West.
— Rick Huff
Early Modern track list
- Movie Monsters — 3:57
- Hetty’s Dark Eyes — 4:15
- Stall Speed — 4:22
- Cardboard Heart — 3:48
- When Chaplin Came to Dallas — 4:38
Listen to Early Modern on Amazon Music. Learn more about Western music through the International Western Music Association.
Explore more reviews by Rick Huff.
Listen: Don Holladay — Cardboard Heart
Official audio from Early Modern.