Hip Hatchet

“Folk music” in its truest sense may be a thing of the past; the tradition of passing down songs from generation to generation by word of mouth is something that’s lost in this day and age of technology and metaphysical connectedness. Everything is recorded, nothing is lost, and songs are ‘completed’ in studios, with no chance to be developed by strangers on the road. Nevertheless, there can still be albums that are steeped in these traditions. The artist has learned from the records that were handed down or recommended to them, and using his or her own life experiences they can create a record that is as genuine and honest as any folk music. Hip Hatchet’s Joy and Better Days is one such record.
This kind of music was originally intended to tell tales about people and Joy and Better Days is exactly that; 12 memories from Philippe Bronchtein’s life beautifully rendered into glistening ballads, resilient melodies and timeless tunes. This is an album of songs from the road, and the momentum of moving from place to place is what keeps these songs individual in their subjects, but unified in Bronchtein’s regret at being unable to settle. In the opening lines of the album he tells us that he’ll be “leaving you behind for a city” – it doesn’t matter which city, his pain at having to depart is the point. Although our narrator is obviously the center of all of these, it’s the characters he describes that are the true joys of the album. Bronchtein manages to tell us more about the person and his relationship with them than we have any right to know; for example on opening track “American Charm” he describes how the object of his affections “steps over the clothes on [his] floor,” which instantly conjures for us the kind of intimate relationship they have, which he then expands upon beautifully as the song progresses, to the point where we’re sharing his pain at having to leave this beautiful woman. All of these songs, whether they’re about travelling, loving, drinking or anything else, are so rich lyrically that it’s as easy to become sympathetic with our protagonist as it is in any great novel.
Musically, the songs are all of a traditional folk leaning, but much like the different places and people that Hip Hatchet introduces us to, for all their similarities there’s something individual and endearing about each. “Childs Hand In Dirt” finds Bronchtein switching casually between a smooth croon and a rasp all while the lilting piano beneath helps to recall days spent in bed with another; the rambling, quick pace of songs like “Misdirected Man” and “Limits and Rules” brings the travelogue element to life; while closing track “When I Sing For Strangers” is little more than spindly acoustic guitars, and that’s all that’s needed in this intimate song. The songs are each like a different piece of the same patchwork, all stitched together by Bronchtein’s voice and character.
A lot of the album finds Bronchtein defeated, the music demure and slow and the inattentive ear will dismiss it as depressing, but to do so is to miss the whole point of Joy and Better Days. These songs are written in hindsight, so they’re seen through a lens of regret and longing, but these are the most basic emotions to take away. Bronchtein’s voice is warm and inviting, and once you use that gateway to get inside the songs you’ll find that there’s plenty more from all points on the emotional spectrum. Joy and Better Days requires that you spend time with it, but there aren’t many records that deserve it as much as this. - Beats Per Minute

“Folk music” in its truest sense may be a thing of the past; the tradition of passing down songs from generation to generation by word of mouth is something that’s lost in this day and age of technology and metaphysical connectedness. Everything is recorded, nothing is lost, and songs are ‘completed’ in studios, with no chance to be developed by strangers on the road. Nevertheless, there can still be albums that are steeped in these traditions. The artist has learned from the records that were handed down or recommended to them, and using his or her own life experiences they can create a record that is as genuine and honest as any folk music. Hip Hatchet’s Joy and Better Days is one such record.
This kind of music was originally intended to tell tales about people and Joy and Better Days is exactly that; 12 memories from Philippe Bronchtein’s life beautifully rendered into glistening ballads, resilient melodies and timeless tunes. This is an album of songs from the road, and the momentum of moving from place to place is what keeps these songs individual in their subjects, but unified in Bronchtein’s regret at being unable to settle. In the opening lines of the album he tells us that he’ll be “leaving you behind for a city” – it doesn’t matter which city, his pain at having to depart is the point. Although our narrator is obviously the center of all of these, it’s the characters he describes that are the true joys of the album. Bronchtein manages to tell us more about the person and his relationship with them than we have any right to know; for example on opening track “American Charm” he describes how the object of his affections “steps over the clothes on [his] floor,” which instantly conjures for us the kind of intimate relationship they have, which he then expands upon beautifully as the song progresses, to the point where we’re sharing his pain at having to leave this beautiful woman. All of these songs, whether they’re about travelling, loving, drinking or anything else, are so rich lyrically that it’s as easy to become sympathetic with our protagonist as it is in any great novel.
Musically, the songs are all of a traditional folk leaning, but much like the different places and people that Hip Hatchet introduces us to, for all their similarities there’s something individual and endearing about each. “Childs Hand In Dirt” finds Bronchtein switching casually between a smooth croon and a rasp all while the lilting piano beneath helps to recall days spent in bed with another; the rambling, quick pace of songs like “Misdirected Man” and “Limits and Rules” brings the travelogue element to life; while closing track “When I Sing For Strangers” is little more than spindly acoustic guitars, and that’s all that’s needed in this intimate song. The songs are each like a different piece of the same patchwork, all stitched together by Bronchtein’s voice and character.
A lot of the album finds Bronchtein defeated, the music demure and slow and the inattentive ear will dismiss it as depressing, but to do so is to miss the whole point of Joy and Better Days. These songs are written in hindsight, so they’re seen through a lens of regret and longing, but these are the most basic emotions to take away. Bronchtein’s voice is warm and inviting, and once you use that gateway to get inside the songs you’ll find that there’s plenty more from all points on the emotional spectrum. Joy and Better Days requires that you spend time with it, but there aren’t many records that deserve it as much as this. - Beats Per Minute

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Check Out: Hip Hatchet – “Sing Me a Reprise”

By Ben Kaye on March 23rd, 2012 in New Music, News

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Portland, Oregon-based singer/songwriter Hip Hatchet, aka Philippe Bronchtein, self-released his Men Who Share My Name debut back in 2010. The album showcased Bronchetein’s immense talent for constructing captivating folk songs with little more than his guitar and a voice warm as a log fire in winter. With arresting, pensive vocals and his ability to do so much with so little, it’s no surprise he cites Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen as influences.

Gravitation Records re-issued the debut a year later, and now the label is set to release Hip Hatchet’s sophomore effort, Joy and Better Days, on April 1oth. Bronchtein recently revealed the album’s first single through his Tumblr account. “Sing Me a Reprise” is an incredibly effecting, straightforward folk number which Bronchtein calls his “homage to transition”. He describes it as “a sad song. But change is a good thing, and while the tone is somber, the intention is optimistic.”

You can listen to the song below, then see what else Hip Hatchet has to say about it on his Tumblr, and find the lyrics through Bandcamp. The Joy and Better Days tracklist follows the widget. - Consequence of Sound

Hip Hatchet is a country-folk project from singer songwriter Philippe Bronchtein. The tracks on this LP feature some beautifully finger-picked guitar. There’s a decent amount of diversity in instrumentation from track to track, helping to keep every song fresh. Bronchtein is a very descriptive songwriter and really excels at making it feel you are there with him in these places and situations he describes. This lyrical ability combined with a vocal delivery that gives him an overwhelming sense of wisdom makes this an album worth checking out.

Stream the band’s new album, Joy and Better Days, above. - The Needle Drop

REVIEW: Hip Hatchet - "Joy and Better Days"



Hip Hatchet
Joy and Better Days
Release Date: April 10th, 2012
Label: Gravitation Records





In 1968, Fairport Convention bassist Ashley Hutchings told producer Joe Boyd about a new talent out of Cambridge. Boyd tracked down the young musician and asked to hear a few songs. After listening to the artist’s reel-to-reel four track demo, Boyd immediately knew that he had found something special. Boyd worked with the artist on three LPs that received little to no acclaim. The artist suffered from depression and passed away due to an antidepressant overdose in 1974. In 1999, twenty-five years after his death, one of his songs finally reached popularity and acclaim – after it was featured in a Volkswagen commercial.

That artist was Nick Drake. I’ve always considered him to be my favorite musician of all time. His story is just one example of how cruel the world of music can be for artists, those who realize their talent, and the few fans they may gather along the long road towards “success.” The contemporary landscape is both better and worse. Yes, artists like Hip Hatchet can more easily find their way to listeners’ ears because of how the Internet facilitates lesser known acts, but the sheer amount of artists gaining small exposure causes even the best talents to become soft echoes for a few moments before being replaced by the next buzz-based act.

When he put on Drake’s reel-to-reel, Boyd knew he was dealing with something that transcended anything he had ever heard before. It just took time, a lot of time, for the rest of the world to hear what Boyd did. Now, I was a fan of Hip Hatchet’s first LP Men Who Share My Name, but after the first listen of his newest offering, Joy and Better Days, I sat with teary eyes and for the first time understood how Boyd might have felt back in 1968.

The first thing that should be mentioned about Joy and Better Days is that Philippe Bronchtein (Hip Hatchet) emerges as a lyrical master. Every line, and I mean every line, stands alone as a little moment of literary virtuosity. I could share just about any one of Bronchtein’s lyrics as an example of what I’m talking about, and with this album, I’m tempted to go through line by line. But to save you a few pages of reading, I’ll focus on what he accomplishes with his words. Bronchtein’s lyrics focus on human beings – they put the minor details of being alive under a microscope. He’s obsessed with hands, mouths, hair, and the other ordinary features of life that we shrug off every day, re-illustrating them for the listener at every turn. His storytelling is filled with humor, sophistication, and the kind of stringing together of thoughts that demands the listener reflect on their own lives. It makes for a powerful record, and a deeply personal listening experience. After hearing Joy and Better Days, it left me thinking that he had said everything I’d ever wanted to say about life, but never had the insight to put so gracefully into words.

Joy and Better Days tackles many topics and themes, including traveling across the country, the great lengths we go to experience and appreciate love, and the human condition. Lyric by lyric, Bronchtein wrestles with these ideas and many others, but ultimately, Joy and Better Days is about displacement. His approach to this theme is raw and honest due to his actual move across country from New Jersey to Portland two summers ago. In this move, Bronchtein found his muse, the lonely road, unknown towns, and the strangers he met along the way. Displacement is a wonderful theme for a folk record because it’s universal. Even if you’ve never moved, everyone can relate to feeling out of place. But unlike most of his peers, Bronchtein never complains about the difficulty of displacement. Instead, he bares his thoughts and delivers answers to his own questions. There is a calmness in his discomfort. Ultimately, Joy and Better Days’ examination of displacement is accompanied by a firsthand account of how the uncomfortable moments of life can be the most rewarding.

This might sound minor, but the track listing on Joy and Better Days is perfection. I hardly mention the ordering of songs in reviews, but this record has such a great flow that after a few spins I started to admire how its bursts of energy lead way to moments of nostalgic introspection and back up into slightly faster melodies. Bronchtein keeps the listeners on their toes, playing with their emotional expectations wherever he can. He takes full ownership of the mood without ever coming across like someone forcing something heavy-handed on you. Joy and Better Days morphs constantly, like the landscapes that roll by when you drive across the United States, but in the end, all of it is part of the same journey.

I can’t speak for all music bloggers, but a lot of us write about music day in and day out for little to no money, all in se - We Listen For You

If I had to guess just based on the sound of his voice, I’d have to say that Hip Hatchet mastermind Philippe Bronchtein is probably in his mid-to-late-twenties, but if I was basing it on the content and delivery of his songs I’d probably say he’s about as old and as wise as Gandalf. Chances are he’s somewhere in between, and if he’s younger than 25 I’m just gonna hang up my Nintendo hoodie and call it a day.

I’ve been using the term “criminally underrated” a lot lately to describe an act who’s gotten nowhere near the attention they deserve, and Hip Hatchet is one of them. As we mentioned in our Ones To Watch feature on him back in August his music can both be wintry cold but also “oozes the warmth and intimacy of a log-cabin fire-side sing-along”.

On his new EP “Coward’s Luck” there’s more of that warmth and richness in the songs as if you can feel that glowing on your cheeks from the fire, your feet tucked underneath your body and your two fingers between the handle of your lukewarm mug.

As with most of his music you can grab the EP for free, and in 2012 he’ll be dropping a full album, much to the delight of most of us, and hopefully you too. - Listen Before You Buy

2012 is looking to be a very good year for Portland-based singer-songwriter Philippe Bronchtein, who has released a full-length and two EPs under the guise of Hip Hatchet. He’s got an album in the works, due to be released on Gravitation Records (who also re-released his LP Men Who Share My Name late last year), a tiny label best known for its two next-most-recent releases, The Tallest Man On Earth’s The Wild Hunt LP and Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird EP.

Making a home on Gravitation will probably result in a lot of tiresome Tallest Man On Earth comparisons, but let me indulge just one: Tallest Man has succeeded as a somewhat traditionally-minded singer-songwriter in a field where it’s increasingly difficult to do so, and based on his new EP Coward’s Luck, Bronchtein shows strong signs of being able to achieve the same.

Men Who Share My Name was an elegantly beautiful release, but the pared-down Coward’s Luck — recorded in a single day with just the accompaniment of guitarist Alex Lewis — sees Bronchtein’s songwriting injected with a newfound sense of dexterity, energy, and passion. In particular, his distinctive husky-smooth baritone really shines. This is true at both ends of his considerable range; the sprightly “Sleep Song” dwells in the higher register, while “Small Hands,” an absolutely stunning track from Men Who Share My Name, contains a deep-voiced and, dare I say it, soulful vocal performance.

Like “Sleep Song,” the EP’s title track is short and sweet, but the real standout here is closing track “Just Like an Old Friend,” which, on top of having a particularly bracing vocal performance, is one of the strongest and most taut songs he’s yet released, both lyrically and musically. Let’s hope it’s a signal of what we’ll be hearing when his upcoming album rolls around.

Stream “Just Like an Old Friend” below, swing over to Hip Hatchet’s Bandcamp to pick up the full Coward’s Luck EP — for free! — and make sure to keep your eyes peeled for a full length coming our way mid-2012. - Donny Brook Writing Academy

2012 is looking to be a very good year for Portland-based singer-songwriter Philippe Bronchtein, who has released a full-length and two EPs under the guise of Hip Hatchet. He’s got an album in the works, due to be released on Gravitation Records (who also re-released his LP Men Who Share My Name late last year), a tiny label best known for its two next-most-recent releases, The Tallest Man On Earth’s The Wild Hunt LP and Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird EP.

Making a home on Gravitation will probably result in a lot of tiresome Tallest Man On Earth comparisons, but let me indulge just one: Tallest Man has succeeded as a somewhat traditionally-minded singer-songwriter in a field where it’s increasingly difficult to do so, and based on his new EP Coward’s Luck, Bronchtein shows strong signs of being able to achieve the same.

Men Who Share My Name was an elegantly beautiful release, but the pared-down Coward’s Luck — recorded in a single day with just the accompaniment of guitarist Alex Lewis — sees Bronchtein’s songwriting injected with a newfound sense of dexterity, energy, and passion. In particular, his distinctive husky-smooth baritone really shines. This is true at both ends of his considerable range; the sprightly “Sleep Song” dwells in the higher register, while “Small Hands,” an absolutely stunning track from Men Who Share My Name, contains a deep-voiced and, dare I say it, soulful vocal performance.

Like “Sleep Song,” the EP’s title track is short and sweet, but the real standout here is closing track “Just Like an Old Friend,” which, on top of having a particularly bracing vocal performance, is one of the strongest and most taut songs he’s yet released, both lyrically and musically. Let’s hope it’s a signal of what we’ll be hearing when his upcoming album rolls around.

Stream “Just Like an Old Friend” below, swing over to Hip Hatchet’s Bandcamp to pick up the full Coward’s Luck EP — for free! — and make sure to keep your eyes peeled for a full length coming our way mid-2012. - Donny Brook Writing Academy

There are countless artists who created very important art but were only recognized for it years after their death. Nick Drake took his own life way before his albums could reach an audience. Years after he was gone, VW put his song "Pink Moon" in a commercial and the world fell in the love with beauty of his music. I'm not saying this is what's going to happen for Hip Hatchet, but it could and it would be a shame. Hip Hatchet is Philippe Bronchtein and spending ten minutes with his album, the power he has as a songwriter becomes clear. His voice is a mixture of Nick Drake and Matt Berninger but his greatest tool is the pen. I'm a huge fan of lyrics and Men Who Share My Name has the best of 2010. The lyrics are honest, sad, funny, introspective, metaphorical, and ultimately poetic. Like Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits, Bronchtein mixes stripped down humor with honest self criticism. This is an introduction to the best new act of 2010. Hip Hatchet demands your attention. A talent like this only comes around so often, please don't let it drift away and forgotten.
- We Listen For You

His debut album as Hip Hatchet, “Men Who Share My Name”, had a very successful self-release back in May 2010, and has just had a re-mastered re-release on Gravitation Records. The whole thing was conjured by Philippe from his experience of the ’09-’10 Vermont winter, which I gather was pretty damn bleak. It really shines through on the atmosphere of the record: it oozes the warmth and intimacy of a log-cabin fire-side sing-along.

Although the composition and orchestration is all Philippe’s work, he is joined by various companions on the actual recording (the apparently mononymous Amelia’s vocal harmonising being a particular stand-out). Even so, the tracks are dominated by his rich bass-baritone. I suspect it will have a touch of the Marmite about it (Does Marmite exist in the states? Basically, you love it or hate it.). To my ears, it’s great, but then I’m biased: it sits in pretty much exactly in my own vocal range, so I can actually sing along for once. Don’t get me wrong: he sounds almost unimaginably better than I do; but at least I don’t have to run into my thin, warbling falseto. Trust me, folks, it’s not pretty.

A new album is underway at the moment, provisionally titled “Joy And Better Days”. In the meantime, you can check out “Small Hands” below, and hit up the links for more. Philippe commented that a lot of love went into the record; well, I think it’s going to get a lot of love right back. - Listen Before you Buy

His debut album as Hip Hatchet, “Men Who Share My Name”, had a very successful self-release back in May 2010, and has just had a re-mastered re-release on Gravitation Records. The whole thing was conjured by Philippe from his experience of the ’09-’10 Vermont winter, which I gather was pretty damn bleak. It really shines through on the atmosphere of the record: it oozes the warmth and intimacy of a log-cabin fire-side sing-along.

Although the composition and orchestration is all Philippe’s work, he is joined by various companions on the actual recording (the apparently mononymous Amelia’s vocal harmonising being a particular stand-out). Even so, the tracks are dominated by his rich bass-baritone. I suspect it will have a touch of the Marmite about it (Does Marmite exist in the states? Basically, you love it or hate it.). To my ears, it’s great, but then I’m biased: it sits in pretty much exactly in my own vocal range, so I can actually sing along for once. Don’t get me wrong: he sounds almost unimaginably better than I do; but at least I don’t have to run into my thin, warbling falseto. Trust me, folks, it’s not pretty.

A new album is underway at the moment, provisionally titled “Joy And Better Days”. In the meantime, you can check out “Small Hands” below, and hit up the links for more. Philippe commented that a lot of love went into the record; well, I think it’s going to get a lot of love right back. - Listen Before you Buy

It’s been a while since I’ve given you some good folk pop, hasn’t it? I mean, I recently posted about Arran Arctic’s new single, “The Door”, but he changed his direction slightly with that song so it wasn’t fully soft folk anymore. Well, here’s to hoping Hip Hatchet, out of Middlebury, Vermont, (which surprised me – they definitely have a European/Canadian folk vibe) fills that void. The group is led by Philippe Bronchtein, who’s joined by a variety of different friends.

Hip Hatchet recently released a new album, Men Who Share My Name, with heartwarming, piano-driven ballads evoking memories past. The most impressive part about the sound is something we often tend to overlook: the instruments remain sparse – while there are several on display, they only make sporadic contributions to the sound, saving us from anything superfluous. Bronchtein’s raspy baritone takes the reigns on vocals, but harmonies come from various members, and when female vocalist Amelia complements, we hear some gorgeous chemistry between the two. - Knox Road

It’s been a while since I’ve given you some good folk pop, hasn’t it? I mean, I recently posted about Arran Arctic’s new single, “The Door”, but he changed his direction slightly with that song so it wasn’t fully soft folk anymore. Well, here’s to hoping Hip Hatchet, out of Middlebury, Vermont, (which surprised me – they definitely have a European/Canadian folk vibe) fills that void. The group is led by Philippe Bronchtein, who’s joined by a variety of different friends.

Hip Hatchet recently released a new album, Men Who Share My Name, with heartwarming, piano-driven ballads evoking memories past. The most impressive part about the sound is something we often tend to overlook: the instruments remain sparse – while there are several on display, they only make sporadic contributions to the sound, saving us from anything superfluous. Bronchtein’s raspy baritone takes the reigns on vocals, but harmonies come from various members, and when female vocalist Amelia complements, we hear some gorgeous chemistry between the two. - Knox Road

It’s been a while since I’ve given you some good folk pop, hasn’t it? I mean, I recently posted about Arran Arctic’s new single, “The Door”, but he changed his direction slightly with that song so it wasn’t fully soft folk anymore. Well, here’s to hoping Hip Hatchet, out of Middlebury, Vermont, (which surprised me – they definitely have a European/Canadian folk vibe) fills that void. The group is led by Philippe Bronchtein, who’s joined by a variety of different friends.

Hip Hatchet recently released a new album, Men Who Share My Name, with heartwarming, piano-driven ballads evoking memories past. The most impressive part about the sound is something we often tend to overlook: the instruments remain sparse – while there are several on display, they only make sporadic contributions to the sound, saving us from anything superfluous. Bronchtein’s raspy baritone takes the reigns on vocals, but harmonies come from various members, and when female vocalist Amelia complements, we hear some gorgeous chemistry between the two. - Knox Road

These past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Hip Hatchet‘s Men Who Share My Name album. Hip Hatchet hails from Vermont, and is the work of Philippe Bronchtein (vocals, guitar, clarinet, saxophone, piano) and several of his friends. The songs are acoustic, featuring traditional instruments like clarinet, bassoon, and violin, and are built with delicate harmonies and spacious arrangements. Indeed, the album reminds me of the wide-open Vermont spaces that I’ve so often wandered – especially those moments when the Sun finally fades, and one is left only with conversation to hold the night back. To me, the sound of this album seems imprinted by Winter and woodland, and carries all the warmth and determination of a soul that has passed through those things time and again.

Of the band’s sound, James Riley of Mondegreen Magazine wrote:

“The music’s most definitive trait is a consistently poetic and delicate artistry, and yet in this, it goes balls-out. Hardcore tenderness… Everything musical is aimed both at creating a simple and beautiful aesthetic -which I believe Philippe achieves splendidly – and equally important, at matching and enhancing the story and emotion of everything lyrical.”

It’s a particularly apt description for a music that is simultaneously introspective and expressive. Perhaps, in a word, we might call this sound “rejuvenating.” There is also the thrill of listening to a band that are clearly beginning to find a firm voice, and those special moments – like in “Warm and Alone” and “Sun Can’t Walk”- when that voice rings out loud and clear.

As I’m sure you’ll agree, after you listen to the album, this is a band that bears watching. So, have a listen, and then visit their bandcamp page to pick up a copy. - Shh...Listen

"I ain't got a gun, but fists will have to do."

"Stare all you want...but this train won't take you home."

Hip Hatchet is the project of a mysterious person named Philippe from Middlebury, Vermont. I couldn't find too much information about Hip Hatchet but I have the important pieces to write. First, the music is gorgeous introspective folk. The melodies seep into the body as they slowly stride forward with poetic lyrics flowing from a voice that calls on Nick Drake. Hip Hatchet is highly recommended. Check out my favorite song, "Sun Can't Walk" and if you have any money in your account throw this amazing independent artist a few dollars for his art HERE. - We Listen for You

"I ain't got a gun, but fists will have to do."

"Stare all you want...but this train won't take you home."

Hip Hatchet is the project of a mysterious person named Philippe from Middlebury, Vermont. I couldn't find too much information about Hip Hatchet but I have the important pieces to write. First, the music is gorgeous introspective folk. The melodies seep into the body as they slowly stride forward with poetic lyrics flowing from a voice that calls on Nick Drake. Hip Hatchet is highly recommended. Check out my favorite song, "Sun Can't Walk" and if you have any money in your account throw this amazing independent artist a few dollars for his art HERE. - We Listen for You