Music Review // Leanne Binder "Hellfire and Holy Water"

 

If you are of a certain time, this song might be something you can relate with either your mother or grandmother.  When someone said "Get you some", you knew you were in trouble.  This song by Leanne Binder so perfect captures that energy.  With lyrics like "See, I'm as gentle as a lamb / Until you push me to the brink" you just know what you're getting into when you cross someone.  And quite frankly if you've seen the way that women are still being treated in the United States, more people need to feel their wrath.

Through a fury of horns and guitars, "Hellfire and Holy Water" comes with a lot of soul.  This is that type of song which is bordering on both country and the blues but just comes out so loud that it connects with the lyrics.  The verses and fun and non-threatening, so as to make it feel like you're being warned, but then when the chorus kicks in telling you what you're in store for, the whole sound can just wash over you like a wave.

History has this way of painting women as being too dramatic or leading with their feelings too much, but as this song says: "My truth carved in my bones".   That's a really important line because a lot of women know what they know and someone crossing that doesn't make a woman too emotional or anything else that society tries to portray them as.  It just means that they have convictions and they stand by them.

Musically this song is a blast.  The way it can just feel like we're having a good time, about to kick off some football, and then it becomes this overwhelming feeling of everything all at once, which is only appropriate for what feels like an emergency sermon.   The lyrics will hopefully help empower women or just anyone who has had enough and is willing to stand up to those who push them to their limit.