Sierra Hull Is Freeing Her Musical Mind

How many readers of the world have heard the phrase, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” Though not of the exact same medium, it would seem reasonable that this mentality could be applied to albums as well. Staving off judgement of record cover art until after hearing the actual music is probably a decent benchmark with which to stick. However, in the case of Sierra Hull’s latest effort, Weighted Mind, (out today, Jan. 29, on Rounder Records), being taken in by the visual metaphor of the album might not be such a bad idea after all –especially if the listener in question has never ventured toward Hull’s instrument of choice (mandolin) before. Weighted Mind is hardly Hull’s first record rodeo – her third with the label in eight years – but if there were ever an exciting and adventurous time for anyone to dive into her work, now is it.

After a five year respite since the release of Daybreak (Rounder Records) in 2011, Weighted Mind brings listeners back into Hull’s artistic world and shows everyone just how much transition and expansion has made its way into the 24 year old virtuoso’s life –intellectually, emotionally and, of course, musically. The album as a whole reflects a plethora of decisions, struggles, and inner revelations that Hull grappled with in the time leading up to the record’s completion and she pulls no punches about making those connections. Straightforward titles like “Stranded,” “Compass,” and “Choices and Changes,” along with pleasantly honest lyrics like those in the titular track, (It all seems right written on a page / I tell myself we’ll be okay / but I can’t chase away my doubt / so much left to figure out) very clearly paint a picture of the many thoughts that went into Weighted Mind. The precision of the album’s thematic cohesion is about as inspiring as Hull’s salient display of musicianship with her mandolin.

While the honor of a Presidential Scholarship bestowed upon Hull by her alma mater, the Berklee College of Music, is more than proof enough of her prowess, Weighted Mind’s minimalist approach to arrangement puts Hull and her mandolin on a newly raised platform of instrumental vulnerability, which she seamlessly settles into, and impresses with, from one track to the next. Though contemporary peers and role models like Rhiannon Giddens, Alison Krauss and Abigail Washburn bring diversifying vocals to some songs (“Wings of the Dawn,” “Black River,”) their inclusion is more like that of an ace supporting actress so the soloist mentality isn’t lost. Right from the start of lyrically-minimal opener “Stranded,” Hull greets with a cascade of swift but gently assertive notes that feel a touch Baroque in their composition, as she slides subtly between major and minor scale-like sequences.

The intriguing relationship between Hull’s effortless execution and the songs themselves doesn’t let up over the course of all 12 tracks, though how the contrast shines through varies, in amusing ways. “Queen of Hearts/Royal Tea,” which is full of solid familial sentiments, (I love my father, I love my mother / I love my sister and my brother / I love my friends and my relatives too) balances a motif centered around minor sixths and leading tones, giving the song just a dash of opposing, unsettling eeriness. Meanwhile, a song like “Birthday” hears Hull playing with variations on the theme of “Happy Birthday,” which would make the song one of complete enjoyment if it weren’t the backdrop for a story of rejection and lost love (But go ahead and walk with anger / and make this girl your only stranger / If love was unconditional / well it ain’t no more).

The sonic art that Hull offers on Weighted Mind lays out a common thread of clear transparency from the beginning to the end. Each track exists like a neatly contained chapter in an engaging narrative, equally appealing in full context or, as standalone anecdotes. Hull shows her colors of self-doubt, hope, sadness, love, faith and eventually reassurance, fearing no emotional territory be made public. In its most basic sense, Weighted Mind is a musical memoir. Yet, peel back the layers and there are mountains of beautiful artistic nuance to take in, – from fadeless song transitions, to audible finger slides, and even a few laughs that sound like slices of outtakes – which is why there’s nothing missing in the stripped-down presence of Hull, Béla Fleck (banjo/producer) and Ethan Jodziewicz (double bass). Top all of that off with knowing that Weighted Mind takes Hull past the traditional gates of her bluegrass foundations and what’s left is a record fit for anyone –whether they’ve been following Hull in the roots scene for years or have just now discovered and decided to look into her music for the first time, after laying eyes on the album’s figurative and fanciful cover.