God and Country Music: Shovels & Rope’s Punk-Rock, Incidental Spirituality

Last updated on: October 27, 2013 at 2:01 pm by Nick Rynerson

God and Country Music: Shovels & Rope’s Punk-Rock, Incidental Spirituality 2013-10-27T14:01:41-06:00 Nick Rynerson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

As a writer who covers predominately alt-country, Americana, and folk music, I say to my shame that I didn’t know who Shovels & Rope were until they won Best Song and Best Upcoming Artist last month at the 2013 Americana Awards. Maybe you don’t either, so let me introduce you.

Shovels & Rope is the alt-country project of Charleston, SC based husband and wife duo, Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst. They’ve made the rounds—touring with the likes of Hayes Carll, Justin Townes Earle, and the Dave Matthews Band—and have gained a loyal following with their own intelligent, punky, southern, rock n’ roll, country sound. In late 2012 Trent and Hearst released their second LP, O’ Be Joyful, and last month hauled in some unexpected Americana awards. The couple beat out the well-favored Lumineers for the Best New Song award with their first single, ‘Birmingham’.

Shovels & Rope have developed a sound that draws from the well of bands like The Sex Pistols, The Cramps, and The Clash as much as from Hank Williams, old hymns, and Townes Van Zant. In an interview with Garden and Gun, Michael Hearst says that he grew up “listening to a lot of Nirvana and old country, trying to figure out how to blend the two”. The outcome is an eccentric, danceable sound that seems much bigger than a husband and wife duo playing a small, old drum set and an acoustic guitar that comes with a unique, rowdy, fascinating live performance.

While catching a host of “Johnny and June” comparisons, the couple likes to talk about folks like Elvis Costello and The Cramps as major influences. The raw country feel of their songs blends effortlessly with their punk tendencies, almost like an Appalachian Uncle Tupelo. Also blended throughout Shovels & Rope’s sound is a pervasive gospel influence that fits beautifully into their unique sound.

My first hearing of “Birmingham” was a powerful experience. It usually takes me a few listens to decide if I really like a sound or not, but “Birmingham” had me in tears by the second chorus. Hearst’s scratchy, folksy vocals and Trent’s freight-train drumming/maracas drew me in quick, and the chorus – the first two lines of the old hymn “Rock of Ages” – knocked me flat. “Birmingham” spent a solid week on repeat. The use of “Rock of Ages” in “Birmingham” may be more about Hearst & Trent’s relationship than anything else, but that’s okay. There is something powerful, if not scared about the whole album. The gritty, distortion-heavy track “Hail, Hail” starts with a brilliant spin on Chuck Berry’s “School Days” that holds a tongue-in-cheek mirror to what could only be called “idolatry”:

“Hail, hail Rock ‘n Roll/ Hail, hail Rock ‘n Roll/ Hail, hail Rock ‘n Roll I loved you til you slit my throat and swallowed me whole/ Now I’m a bad, bad boy with a selfish little soul/ Rock ‘n Roll”

God’s law, God’s grace and God’s presence are all themes that mesh right in with the old time country and punk rock roots. These transcendent themes give Shovels & Rope’s down home, tough, gritty sound a weighty, even moving quality.

Regardless of the intention behind Shovels & Rope’s spiritual aesthetics, they are present throughout. Maybe orthodox Christianity isn’t in the forefront of the minds of Trent and Hearst, but somewhere due east of the Cumberland Gap, the weird, honest, punk rock world of Shovels & Rope is very real.

God and Country Music

Shovels and Rope

Previous Post

October 21, 2013

Want to Love Your Neighbor? Read Fiction.

Next Post

October 22, 2013 Steve McQueen and Discovery of the Self

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Asides Elsewhere Featured Film Games General Culture Headline Literature Music Of the Moment Podcast Politics RetroPost Sports Technology Television Uncategorized Viral

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz