Hal – “Ask Why, Ask Who, Ask Hal”

The visual artwork immediately establishes a retro-futuristic mood. It shows a stern military figure outfitted with cybernetic gear, wearing a red cap, an eye patch with glowing red and blue optics, and raising a mechanical arm in a sharp salute against bold yellow lettering. It is immediately noticeable.

The first album from Hal Neink, “Ask Why, Ask Who, Ask Hal”, is a 20-year-old songwriting journey that comes into the light. Dave Childers, based out of Lafayette, spent twenty years writing these songs for himself. At age 40, he found the right tools to record them. As a single father, he made this album hoping to share it with his daughter when she gets older, and the background of the track makes the whole record meaningful and unique. It’s one of my favorites of the week.

The music is a strange amalgamation of early influences. Childers was influenced by the weirdness of Devo, the speed of Dick Dale’s guitar playing and the weight of Iron Butterfly. Mixing those styles gives him a feel that’s both respectful to his roots and yet his own.

Some of the standout tracks are direct and sharp, such as “Projection!”, but the ones that stick in my head all day are “Hamster Wheel” and “End of the Road”. I’m pretty sure you will love them as much as I did.

It’s worth listening to the artist’s previous release to see how his writing has developed over time. Follow Hal Neink to keep up to date on new releases for the rest of this year.