Ha Ha Tonka
Encyclopedia
Ha Ha Tonka is a band originally formed in Springfield, Missouri
and currently signed to Bloodshot Records
out of Chicago, Illinois. Named after Ha Ha Tonka state park in southern Missouri, their music is steeped in Ozark
folk, bringing the passion, spirituality, hardships, and roots of the people that lived and still live there today, into their sound. Americana is the soil their roots are firmly planted, but their branches reach out to a number of genres from Southern Rock
, Indie Rock
, Bluegrass
, Folk
, Country
, and a style their fans like to call Foot Stompin' Indie-Rock. "The band wraps gorgeous rural images and literary allusions within heartbreaking 4-part harmonies. Sometimes the sounds are soft and respectful and at others raw and wrath-filled. The music is honest and organic, intentional yet intuitive."
The band is named after or for Ha Ha Tonka State Park
, located in Camdenton, MO at 37°59′19"N 92°46′6.16"W
, Buckle in the Bible Belt was released on September 11, 2007. "St. Nick on the Fourth in a Fervor" released as the first single from that album.
The band's website describes how their "dark view of the realities of socio-economic hardship, backwoods prejudices and drug abuse is leavened by wry humor and a deep appreciation for regional storytelling traditions." The lead singer, Brian Roberts, is a cancer survivor
who criticizes the American health care system in "This Is Not a Cure for the Common Cold". One review states that "Ha Ha Tonka make the kind of roots rock that fits the mood of America in the summer of 2008. Its restless, edgy and increasingly willing to address the dark side of This Land."
In 2008 the band opened up for Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and was also a part of the 2008 Lollapalooza
line up.
Just before the album's release, they were featured on the Ozarks episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
The album has had several positive reviews including reviews in the Washington Post and Huffington Post and the track "Usual Suspects" was featured as a National Public Radio's song of the day on April 27th 2011 .
The song Usual Suspects was also used by the Turner Broadcasting Station as a lead in to the beginning of Game 3 of the 2011 National League Championship Series featuring the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers.
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
and currently signed to Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
out of Chicago, Illinois. Named after Ha Ha Tonka state park in southern Missouri, their music is steeped in Ozark
The Ozarks
The Ozarks are a physiographic and geologic highland region of the central United States. It covers much of the southern half of Missouri and an extensive portion of northwestern and north central Arkansas...
folk, bringing the passion, spirituality, hardships, and roots of the people that lived and still live there today, into their sound. Americana is the soil their roots are firmly planted, but their branches reach out to a number of genres from Southern Rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
, Indie Rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
, Bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, Folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, and a style their fans like to call Foot Stompin' Indie-Rock. "The band wraps gorgeous rural images and literary allusions within heartbreaking 4-part harmonies. Sometimes the sounds are soft and respectful and at others raw and wrath-filled. The music is honest and organic, intentional yet intuitive."
The band is named after or for Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Ha Ha Tonka State Park is a state park in Missouri, United States, located near Camdenton on the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. The area has several caves, sinkholes, and bluffs overlooking the lake. The most notable feature of the park is the stone ruins of a mansion, called "the...
, located in Camdenton, MO at 37°59′19"N 92°46′6.16"W
Buckle in the Bible Belt - (2007)
After signing to Bloodshot RecordsBloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
, Buckle in the Bible Belt was released on September 11, 2007. "St. Nick on the Fourth in a Fervor" released as the first single from that album.
The band's website describes how their "dark view of the realities of socio-economic hardship, backwoods prejudices and drug abuse is leavened by wry humor and a deep appreciation for regional storytelling traditions." The lead singer, Brian Roberts, is a cancer survivor
Cancer survivors
A cancer survivor is an individual with cancer of any type, current or past, who is still living. About 11 million Americans alive today—one in 30 people–are either currently undergoing treatment for cancer or have done so in the past." Currently nearly 65% of adults diagnosed with cancer in the...
who criticizes the American health care system in "This Is Not a Cure for the Common Cold". One review states that "Ha Ha Tonka make the kind of roots rock that fits the mood of America in the summer of 2008. Its restless, edgy and increasingly willing to address the dark side of This Land."
In 2008 the band opened up for Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and was also a part of the 2008 Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
line up.
Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South (2009)
On June 16, 2009, Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South was released on Bloodshot Records. "Novel" was recorded at Sawhorse Studios in St. Louis with Jason McEntire who also produced "Buckle". This record is a taste of the dark side of Ha Ha Tonka.Death of a Decade (2011)
Ha Ha Tonka released their new album on April 5, 2011. To support the record, Ha Ha Tonka began their nationwide "Death of a Decade" tour on March 11, in Springfield, MO. The following night the band performed in their hometown of West Plains, MO, along with the Antennas Up from Kansas City. Ha Ha Tonka thanked fans at the West Plains concert by selling copies of the new album, even though its release was three weeks away.Just before the album's release, they were featured on the Ozarks episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.
The album has had several positive reviews including reviews in the Washington Post and Huffington Post and the track "Usual Suspects" was featured as a National Public Radio's song of the day on April 27th 2011 .
The song Usual Suspects was also used by the Turner Broadcasting Station as a lead in to the beginning of Game 3 of the 2011 National League Championship Series featuring the St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers.
Studio albums
- 2007 Buckle in the Bible Belt (Bloodshot RecordsBloodshot RecordsBloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
re-release) - 2009 Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South (Bloodshot RecordsBloodshot RecordsBloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
) - 2011 Death of a Decade (Bloodshot RecordsBloodshot RecordsBloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
)