Anya Hinkle's Eden is clearly located in the American mountainous regions of the Appalachians. At the height of North Caroline and to be even more precise in the town of Asheville. This is where singer, guitarist and songwriter Hinkle grew up and where she played in local bluegrass bands at weddings, parties and in halls. That background resonates pleasantly on her debut album Eden And Her Borderlands.
No modernities, but an upbeat string band with dobro, banjo, pedal steel and fiddle accompanies her in a pure way. Her songs balance between personal singer-songwriter repertoire and traditional bluegrass stompers, such as I Belong To The Band, adorned with cheerful hallelujahs. It's beautiful how she knows how to place traditional and now ancient music in her own story, not out of nostalgia but because bluegrass is in her blood. (MR)more
