South Somewhere Else

Theo Hilton grew up in Athens, Georgia, widely regarded as one of the hippest and most tolerant cities in the American South. However, it might not seem quite so open-minded if you were young, queer, and eager to speak your mind, as was Hilton. Athens was still part of the Deep South, with all the contradictions and limits that entails, and his mixed emotions about his hometown informs 2020s South Somewhere Else, the fifth album from his band Nana Grizol. Hiltons songs dont shy away from his complicated relationship with growing up in Athens, a free-thinking town where he still felt marginalized, even as he remained very much aware of his privilege as a white male. The edge in Hiltons voice that often rises in songs like Jangle Manifesto and Plantation Country is there to remind us that some of his memories still hurt, uncovering his own failings as well as those of others. The ragged joy in much of this music tells another side of the story; this is a tale he wants to share, and theres a sense of liberation in the performances, especially when the slightly sour horn section punctuates the music, making Nana Grizol occasionally sound like an indie rock marching band. South Somewhere Else is a cycle of songs that asks hard questions about history both more recent and going back centuries, and freely acknowledges the answers are not at all easy. Thats part of what makes it work. Hilton and his bandmates arent aiming for something facile, and the passion that goes into the songs meshes well with the engaging indie pop of the melodies, while the horns alternately sweeten the punch and sharpen the pointed arguments. The brief flashes of nostalgia in Not the Night Wind and Quiet I Can Feel It emphasize the humanity of Hiltons outlook, a reminder this is more than a polemic. South Somewhere Else is a smart, perceptive work from a gifted songwriter with the ability to make us look into the scars of our collective past and still deliver music thats passionate and uplifting, and thats a rare gift thats always welcome. ~ Mark Deming