HMFS 2011 is pleased to announce that the musical headlining act this year is:

HA HA TONKA



Roaring out of the Ozarks with a bottle in one hand and a bible in the other, Ha Ha Tonka mix sanctified four-part harmonies and blistering rock, carving out songs that evoke the dichotomies that define their home. 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. Coming straight out of Springfield, MO., Ha Ha Tonka specialize in disarming and effortless anthems that owe as much to high and lonesome Ozarks mountain music as chugging college rock.

Ha Ha Tonka? What the hell could that name possibly mean? It’s a nod to the boys’ Ozark pride. It’s the name of a state park in southwestern Missouri, full of natural bridges, sandstone cliffs, caves and a castle. That’s right, a castle. Some crackpot rich guy built himself a Scottish style castle around 1900. It burned down, but the ruins are still an attraction. Thus, Ha Ha Tonka want you all to know there is more to their home stomping grounds than Branson, walnut bowl outlet stores and Jesse James’ hideout.

The band released its Bloodshot debut, Buckle in the Bible Belt, to much acclaim in 2007, gaining praise from glossies like PASTE and Spin, and taste-making radio stations like KEXP. At years end, Popmatters Magazine named Buckle in the Bible Belt one of the best albums of 2007 (In fact, Buckle was ranked #15 for the year, pulling ahead of those lauded indie rockers, Spoon. Ha Ha Tonka was also a featured performer at the 2008 Lollapalooza and Sundance Film festivals, and toured the US with Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, The Meat Puppets and Old 97′s.

In June of 2009, Ha Ha Tonka release the much-anticipated follow-up record, Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South. The new album quickly garnered amazing press and radio attention. The band released three singles, “Walking on the Devil’s Backbone” and “Hold Your Feet to The Fire” and “Close Every Valve to Your Bleeding Heart”. The new album is available on iTunes, Amazon and your favorite local indie CD retailer. The band tours the US constantly and will be heading out on a headline tour for most of spring 2010 as well as attending the SXSW Music Festival, several dates with Cross Canadian Ragweed and stops at multiple colleges along the way. Tour dates will be posted on all of the bands websites.

www.hahatonkamusic.com
www.myspace.com/hahatonka

“Novel Sounds is violent, literate, unapologetic Southern rock. With its angelic organ and snarling guitars, “The Outpouring” conjures the Allmans, “Hold My Feet to the Fire” drops gospel harmonies over a boogie-woogie backbeat, and the fingerpicked “Close Every Valve to Your Bleeding Heart” builds from tender to raging without a false note.”
-David Peisner, SPIN (June 2009)

“(Novel Sounds) Occupies the sweet spot between country and indie, writing ornery songs with big hooks. Listen if you want your alt country to be heavy on the alt.”
-J. Edward Keyes, RollingStone.com (May 2009)

“…in crafting a more challenging album—a more mature album—Ha Ha Tonka have, against the odds, crafted a much better album, too. Novel sounds, indeed.”
-PopMatters (June 2009)

“With feet to the fire and one blind eye, they divine rough, chunky truths on their sophomore album, Novel Songs of the Nouveau South, letting churchy harmonies and bad boy rock attitude commingle around the holy water they’ve collected.”
-Jam Base

“Ha Ha Tonka perfects power-chill in its second installment, Novel Songs of the Nouveau South…It’s indie rock from the heartland; the spirit of the back-country with a peppy snare and some serious guitar.”
-Vox Magazine

“These Missouri natives have a natural way with a pop hook and instinctive feeling for myriad forms of Southern music…Ha Ha Tonka is truly one of the best young bands in America.”
-Sound Affects

“What sets the band apart is the fact that you just don’t care how familiar it may all ultimately sound, as just about every track on the group’s new Novel Songs of the Nouveau South hits it out of the park”
-Time Out Chicago