Stephanie Hatfield and Hot Mess are a link within a vast musical lineage. The rock quintet’s sum is an evolving study of endless influences. Where the pollination of rock guitars and country dirges confluence, the depth of throaty R&B vocals provided by Hatfield above a rhythmic backbeat rise and swoon. With the boundaries of rock music in constant flux, Stephanie Hatfield and Hot Mess is a reassurance of faith to a restless root rock era, when artists like Graham Parsons pushed the colloquial singer-songwriter voice into atmospheric mystery. Here too is the spirit of Americana blended with bar room foot stomp. Above all, there is familiarity and warmth in understated and direct songs—well crafted and assured—while signs of spry adventure make themselves known at every turn.

Hot Mess is:
Stephanie Hatfield - vox and guitar
Bill Palmer - guitar and vox
John Courage - guitar
Matt McClinton - bass
Jason Aspeslet - drums Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.