Every good song starts with a story, and Tin Foil Stars, the new alt-country folk pop EP from Tallahassee, Florida based Horace Holloway, weaves together stories of love and finding one’s place in the world with unforgettable melodies to create a whimsical, and at times dark, journey.
Horace Holloway, the musical moniker of singer/songwriter Jeffery Morrison, pulls inspiration for his songs from his own experiences as a way to make sense of the cards one is dealt. Growing up in poverty in the suburbs of Detroit and ending up in central Florida after his parents made an unexpected escape from the law meant that pursuing music was never an option. Holloway started discovering music in his junior year of high school but it wasn’t until he unintentionally ended up at an Okkervil River show that he realized he had a deep connection to songwriting and soundscapes and it began to take over his life. With nothing to lose and lots to share, he decided to pursue his dream regardless of the obstacles in his way. Songwriting was a way for him to make sense of it all, and to share his stories with the world.
In his debut EP, Holloway marries catchy melodies with layers of organic sounds that draw listeners in and fill his sometimes haunting and dark songs with lightness and hope. The single King of Diamonds is an upbeat opener that tells a tale of the unpredictability of love through the eyes of a deck of playing cards. The five songs ebb and flow through musical mountains and valleys, finishing with the final track on the five song EP, White Winter Heart, a sparse and honest look into Holloway’s struggle to reconcile who he is and his place in the world.
The roots rock and alt-country that he grew up listening to and the music of Gram Parsons, who lived near Holloway’s longtime central Florida home, were significant influences on the soundscape of Tin Foil Stars. From the beginning, the creation of the EP was a collaborative effort and Holloway searched out those who inspired him, and whose influence he wanted on the songs. The EP was produced by Joe Rodriguez (A Flock of Seagulls) at Red Giant Studios in Lake Mary, FL and features musicians from the very bands who inspired him including pedal steel player Neil Flanz, who played with Gram Parsons, Catherine Popper (Jack White, Ryan Adams, Grace Potter) on bass, Scott Brackett (Okkervil River, Murder By Death) on keyboards, and Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown, Tres Chicas), Lauren Strahm (Fleurie), and Brett Williams (Mighty Joe Plum) on guest vocals. Having a strong musical foundation allows Holloway’s vocals and lyrics to stand out and his stories to be carried through the music to the listener’s ears.
As someone who has always existed on the borderlands, Holloway finds his footing in Tin Foil Stars, making his mark and rooting himself with well crafted songs. You can be sure that it’s just the beginning for this teller of tales.
(Bio by Lauren Mann)
