Hannah May Allison Best Thing

Hannah May's music combines her traditional country singing style with songwriting that has the modern sensibility of a Kacey Musgraves or a Brandy Clark - fresh and witty, sometimes a little edgy, but full of keen observations of the human condition and the everyday rhythms of life and love. In a mere four songs, Hannah May shows the full range of her singing and songwriting chops with a compelling mix of her Nashville country style and her San Francisco Bay Area roots. On the up-tempo side, this EP opens with the hard-rocking "The Best Thing," which is fueled by ringing power guitars that contrast with the knowing, rueful vocal line, and also includes the rockabilly-inspired honky-tonk anthem "Empty Hearted," whose infectious rhythm, growling guitars, and soaring vocals have you out on the dance floor while the lyrics tell a story of liquor, lust, and loss. Balancing out the album are the acoustic numbers "Summer Nights," whose wistful lyrics and sweet steel guitar take you back to a nearly forgotten love, and "Stay," a bittersweet country ballad recounting the scrapes and bruises every heart has to bear. Currently living in Nashville, Hannah May is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, and she recorded "The Best Thing" on periodic visits to California using some of the Bay Area's best musicians to realize her artistic vision. They include, to name a few, David Phillips, the Bay Area's best known and most recorded steel guitar player; Rick Vandivier, a Bay Area fixture best known for his electrifying jazz and rock guitar leads but also a soulful acoustic player; and Remy Felsch, Hannah May's long-time musical collaborator who added the high tenor highlights that fit Hannah May's vocals like a tailor-made suit, and who also drives every tune forward with his amazing drum licks. This talented group of musicians had the skills to realize Hannah May's new style of country music. Enjoy!