“Equine” is Brenn Hill’s seventh studio album, singer/songwriter who lives in Utah, one of the most beautiful and magical places in the world, where everything, from the rural beauties to the urban areas, remind us of the wonders and culture of the West. And when we are referring to the culture of the West, we cannot help but mention horses, faithful and indispensable companions of every cowboy. “Equine” is mostly an album about horses and the relationship established between them and people. All this through the eyes of a real cowboy, and sung with the evocative power of music. The songs, written by Brenn Hill however, are not just simple stories or observations as seen from a distance, but about situations, often painful, experienced firsthand by the singer, who is thus able to convey to the listener, all the emotional intensity of his stories. Men and horses, with in the background, everything that characterises the life of all those living in small border towns. A hard but sincere life, that models your personality, sculpts your face and helps you deal with all kinds of situations. “Equine” is definitely a tribute to horses, but it is also a tribute to love, freedom and hope, even if everything surrounding this is slowly disappearing because of modernisation, and where perhaps, there is no more room for cowboys and their way of life. Recorded in Nashville, the Cd is divided into 16 tracks, written by the Brenn himself, with the participation of some of the best musicians around, starting with Larry Beaird, Jonathan Yudkin, JT Corenflos and Eddie Bayerz. An intense album, at times hurting and piercing, just like the winds of Wyoming, and at the same time, full of warmth, just like a cup of coffee, seated around a campfire. An album that can delight you, especially if you can grasp the deeper meaning of the various songs. Timely arrangements, modern and at the same time very traditional with extensive use of steel guitar and fiddle, that perfectly intertwine, giving the rhythm section great depth. Finally, as always, very nice and quite remarkable, his voice, one of the most expressive of the American cowboy music scene. (Gianluca Sitta)
