Micah P. Hinson

Micah P. Hinson and The Opera Circuit (Jade Tree)

By Anna Breshears
Published: October 16th, 2006 | 10:56am

For a small town Texas boy in his mid-twenties, Micah P. Hinson has already been through more than most. He emerged from a life of crime and drug addiction with a portfolio of sometimes desolate, sometimes poppy tunes quivering with anger, disappointment, and a smattering of hope on his well-received debut Micah P. Hinson and the Gospel of Progress. Opera Circuit, his second long player, was recorded at Hinson’s home while he recovered from a back injury and reportedly took large quantities of codeine. Friends came and went from Abilene to participate in its production and as a result, the finished product has a loose, collaborative feel.

Hinson’s deep, gravely vocals belie his age. His sad, shuddering tones suit the country/Americana numbers (“Diggin A Grave”, “She Don’t Own Me”) and stark folk (“Seems Almost Impossible”, “Drift Off to Sleep”) best, but seem at odds with more expansive layered pop (“It’s Been So Long”, “Letter From Huntsville”). The closer “Don’t Leave Me Now” shows Hinson at his most vulnerable: the slow, soft pace and lone piano serve as ideal counterpoint to a dying lament before giving way to the static of radio waves.

While Opera Circuit lacks the continuity of his first album, Hinson’s real life experience and southern upbringing lends his music an authenticity that’s missing from other recent country-inspired albums from indie rockers like Amy Millan and Jenny Lewis. 6