
BILL HICKMAN: Ghost of Smoke EP
By Michael Flynn
Having fronted bands such as Fat Mannequin and Speedo, Bill Hickman is now a member of Wellington’s excellent alt-country three-piece,The Shot Band, and this is his solo debut. Recorded with the help of some fine Wellington musicians including The Shot Band’s Hamish Graham, Phoenix Foundation’s Will Ricketts, Grand Prix’s Davey Geard and Alan Norman from the Windy City Strugglers, this is a wonderful collection of songs that leaves me wishing there were more. Hickman’s distinctive voice is complimented by the warm acoustic textures of his fingerstyle guitar. His songs are lyrical, reflective and achingly beautiful at times. There is a sense of isolation and gentle mystery in Hickman’s verse through which runs an undercurrent of melancholia. It’s a lonely yet rewarding listen. If you’re the kind of person that passes by an EP for a longer album then I have the perfect solution for you. Just play it again. You’ll be glad you did.
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