Alt-rock duo Hello Clarice offer a much more inviting sense of warmth and melodic appeal than their band name first implies. The two-track release from this past season opens with the heartfelt organic sound of Take Me Home To Carolina – a breathy and addictively tuneful progression, built around an acoustic to full-band set-up that’s both nostalgic and satisfying as it fills the room.
Conceptually personal in its intimacy and contemplation, there’s something also quite familiar about these reflections and ideas – as well as about the instrumental build. We approach the mid-section and the track switches gears entirely – a new leading riff, a clear vocal passion and grit, and an overall sense of sudden hard-rock inspiration to really bring home the changing emotions of the song.
Swiftly moving from good to great, Take Me Home To Carolina is a rather intoxicating alternative rock gem, achieving the rare quality of feeling both familiar and fresh as it gathers intriguing momentum across a post-four-minute lifespan.
Also distinct for its poetic intimacy and the vocal tone and rasp, Turn The Lights Down is the second single of the new project Carolina, and again leads with distinct riff-work, and this time a welcomed twist of country vibes in the rise and fall melody and the humble optimism of the tune.
The song builds to include a choir-like array of backing vocals, subtle but effective, and meanwhile that riff and these quiet but thoughtful references proceed to weave their way into your consciousness.
Once more, the harder rock edge strikes up at the half-way point, a dramatic evolution from all instrumental layers, but it’s modest here. The melody continues to hypnotise, and the song is effortlessly recognisable for both its musical simplicity and the deeper connotations of the writing.
An engaging band, genuine and likable, paving their own way. Hello Clarice are definitely worth listening to this side of 2024 and beyond.
Find Hello Clarice on Instagram & the Website.
