California Soul
By Shane Conklin

		After nearly a decade of making music, the Mother Hips have another polished gem. Green Hills of Earth, their fifth album, has garnered international acclaim and is seen by many as their best work to date.
Long considered one of the foremost live bands in California, with Green Hills the Mother Hips have proven themselves accomplished studio musicians. Their use of innovative sound, cognac harmonies, and thinking lyrics has evoked comparisons to everyone from Neil Young to the Bee Gees to the Beatles. It has been dubbed 'California Soul', and fans and critics agree that this is the most well-crafted Mother Hips album yet produced.

"Almost every song on the record sticks in my head. I've listened to it every day since I got it, and that hardly ever happens," confessed JamesSullivan, San Francisco Chronicle music critic. "Even when I love a record, I only get to listen to it six or eight times before I feel like I need to move on to the newer stuff. But with this one, I've made time to listen."

The new album has generated a great deal of attention from fans and critics far and wide. "A slice of fantastically written classical pop music that makes for a good change of pace from pretty much everything I've been listening to lately. Classy, nothing less." (The Collective, U.K., 3/01) Singing Seems to Ease Me has received extensive airtime in major California markets and album sales have been surprisingly high. July 27th they returned to a sold out Fillmore in San Francisco, six years after they did it the first time.

It marks a turning point for the band. Not since their first album, Back to the Grotto, has there been such a positive response to their studio work.

Beset with personal and professional travails, they released three albums in the late 90's. Though critically acclaimed, the albums sold poorly, and the Mother Hips found themselves without a label.

Now signed with independent Future Farmer Recordings, the Mother Hips have produced their first great studio work. A crafted narrative rather than a hodgepodge of songs, Green Hills possesses a sense of continuity and cohesion. Smoke, Such a Thing and Pull Us All Together hook the listener with stellar harmonies and guitar play, while songs like Sarah Bellum and Emotional Gold serve as hauntingly effective transitions between them. No wasted energy, no superfluous elements. Song by song, the album is quality. As a whole, it is a statement. Here we are.

The Mother Hips, from Chico, Ca., built an impressive following with powerful live shows up and down the western United States in the 1990's. As their mailing list grew and bootlegs were exchanged, people took notice. Behind the local success of their independently-produced
debut album (Grotto), they caught the attention of record companies. Joining Johnny Cash and the Black Crowes, the band signed a deal with American Recordings. Part Timer Goes Full was released soon thereafter.

Album sales were low, but the band was hot. Their live performances sold out venues like the Fillmore and the House of Blues, and they embarked on a national tour in support of the album. Playing with the likes of the Wilco, Blues Traveler, and Widespread Panic offered them the exposure they had been looking for. Limited support from American, however, stalled their momentum.

Over the next few years, the band parted with American Recordings, two more albums were released, one band member left and one was added, people were married and had children, and life moved along.

The metamorphosis from a young, 'jam band' (a term they loathe) into a professional, durable rock and roll band has brought with it a great deal of perspective. "You just learn a lot about human nature, your own shadowy side," divulged singer Tim Bluhm in a recent interview.

"The outlaws of our time are not like Jesse Romance dies by sulfur lights, just ask Lefty, This is not at all a wake up call, The gold is in the ground but we're not digging" From Emotional Gold

With Green Hills of Earth, the Mother Hips return to the short list of one of the nations premier touring bands.