What’s left when you give of yourself day in and day out? Hardened and Tempered, a queer country duet out of Austin, sought to answer those questions in The Trailer Sessions. Drawn from their experiences working in an oncology ward (Carolyn Phillips) and as a public defender (Kristin Davidson), these songs are products of some of the most human work there is. They’re the stories and reflections filed away and absorbed when connecting with others when they’re at their lowest.
Phillips and Davidson balance each other perfectly in their harmonies and playing. The spirit of collaboration is a major theme throughout this album, both lyrically and in terms of the duo’s practice. It’s this lack of ego that certainly enabled them to do the work they’ve done in addition to their music. Just as it has elevated others, it elevates the songs here as well. The Trailer Sessions is, overall, a gentle album. None of the characters are presented as pathetic, but they’re not in need of sympathy. The heartbreak, the losses, the uncertainty — it’s a part of life that we all eventually pass through.
Hardened and Tempered — Official, Facebook, Store
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