CR and the Nones - "The Hills of Pennsylvania"
Chris Gennone, the seasoned songwriter behind CR and the Nones, wears his rock ‘n roll heart on his sleeve. The songs on his most recent release, The Ghosts Are Coming Home, are filled with the kind of heartfelt, salt-of-the-earth narratives that most folks can see a reflection of themselves in. Whether it's grappling with loss on multiple fronts on “The Long Game” or sifting through the past on “Memory Ave.,” his lyrical focus almost always finds a common thread in the human experience. Gennone delivers his words with passion and he tends to surround them with expansive soundscapes, which in many ways, makes the experiences he sings about all the more impactful. “The Hills of Pennsylvania” is delivered with this type of gusto, but the crux of it is pared back, thus allowing Gennone to get quite personal and direct.
There’s a bit of a reprieve from Gennone’s trademark wall of sound in the opening moments of “The Hills of Pennsylvania.” Light drums, bass, and soft electric guitar strums elevate Gennone’s voice, as he matter-of-factly describes a tense drive through the Keystone State: “On my way to the hospital to visit you. Knew this day was comin’, but my blood pressure is through the roof. Some things are hard to say, but that’s okay. Cause love comes easy.” The instrumentation swells thereafter with an almost enveloping effect, but it dissipates again to allow Gennone’s voice to be the principal focus.
The video, which we’re excited to premiere today, features Gennone and his current backing band playing in a sparsely decorated room. Shots of the band are interspersed with footage of Gennone in the hills referenced in the lyrics. Sometimes he’s cruising in a Hyundai Sonata, other times he’s in an open field, but he always has a pensive look on his face that seems to reflect the overall contemplative nature of “The Hills of Pennsylvania.”
Watch the video below.
“The Hills of Pennsylvania” is the eight track on The Ghosts Are Coming Home. The record is out now via Magic Door. You can purchase a copy on vinyl via Bandcamp. Keep up with the band by following them on Instagram.
