King Hannah
I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me

«We met at Burger King. Love at first sight struck in front of the drinks dispenser. Oh God how much I love her.» these are the Ramones.

«Someone stole my bicycle. I know it was you, give it back before I come looking for you, it's better, trust me.» this is my rowdy beloved Amy.

«When I was little, I wet the bed. The nurse said it would pass soon. It's all fine.» and this is Hannah.

Because what you sing is important and you can even make someone fall in love, someone like me who loves to hear minimal stories of everyday life sung without any frills. In short, a hundred words are enough and even more to tell a small world, as long as it's your world, and someone is there to listen and understands you in a flash for sure.

Then, if the first thing that comes to my mind when I hear you sing is «Damn, is it Hope?» you've earned a place in my little heart. The way Hannah sings reminds me so much of Hope Sandoval, the same monotony, more disenchanted and grounded, and I mean it as a sincere appreciation.

«By day I sing in a band, in the evening I serve beers at the pub. One day I would like to be a mother but I think it will take quite some time.» this is how Hannah introduces herself in «A Well-Made Woman». Craig works in that pub too; they like each other, have a lot in common; then Hannah likes to sing and Craig enjoys playing the guitar, and at this point, it's obvious they try to do something together.

They form King Hannah, an EP two years ago, a single last year redoing «State Trooper» by Bruce Springsteen, an LP at the beginning of this year and, incidentally, «I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me» is an album of disarming beauty, spartan and sometimes even moving; derivative in every way and all the more reason I'm impressed by the personality with which Hannah and Craig make their own and render absolutely believable today the sensations and atmospheres of times in which I think those two weren't even born; just as I'm impressed by the way they bring to their own feeling the feelings of others, and in this sense, the remake of «State Trooper» is miraculous to me.

A half-miracle are the 12 tracks of «I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me»: 10 full-fledged, one instrumental, and 2 brief interludes, all soar high, some so much and with such force that they lift me up too, like «All Being Fine», «The Moods That I Get In», and the closing «It's Me And You, Kid».

Be that as it may, whoever hasn't yet emerged from the shadow of Rain Parade, Opal, and Mazzy Star; those who still long for the ballads that Jesus & Mary Chain produced at the time of «Psychocandy» and «Darklands»; those who still pulse to the narcotic rhythm of Portishead and Massive Attack; those who still stubbornly await a follow-up to «Psychedelic Pills» from Neil Young; well, all of these should absolutely give King Hannah a listen now, because it is impossible that they will last.