Jim McHugh of Dark Meat has this to say:

"A ringing attribute of [Ham1 chief songwriter] Jim Willingham's songwriting is that it manages to be both exuberant and high-minded -- inviting and literate -- all at once. Combining the terse acoustic propulsion of the late-model Feelies with the breezy, half-stoned-on-the-beach pop-ambiance of Dean Wareham's Luna, Willingham nevertheless brings a distinctive Athenian warmth to his Captain's Table. It figures: there are horn-charts and string-sections, burst veins of Link Wray-ish guitarplay, pastoral keyboard-drones, tremulous bits of Hawaiian slack-key guitar and some country-fried saunter up under the rhythm section. Chiefly, though, there's that friendly storytelling voice -- half-sung, half-spoken – escorting you through the broken waltzes, atmospheric ballads and jittery rockers, all."

We agree with Jim McHugh, and we would like to add that we hear the ramshackle pop of Sebadoh, the gentle chug of VU, and a little of that dusty Giant Sand guitarwork. But know this: we can reference bands all day long with Ham1, but it is an outfit that is wholly unique, sprung from the mind of a true musical isolate, schoolteacher Jim Willingham and his merry band of warriors.

The Chamber of Commerce is extremely proud to bring you the first Ham1 record and encourages you to head over to Orange Twin to pick up a copy of Ham1's excellent second album, The Captain's Table. You will not be disappointed.

photo by Courtnie Wolfgang

Band members:

The current Ham1 lineup is Jim Willingham, Chris Sugiuchi, Eric Harris, and Jacob Morris.

 

Press.

Dagger Zine:

"...the bottom line here is the guy can write fantastic tunes and 13 of them nudge up against each other on this disc."

Flagpole Magazine:

Album of the Year 2005. "Ham 1 is the kind of album Athens used to be known for. It's pop, clearly home-grown, but still precisely, if quirkily, assembled. Droll. Adventurous. Peculiar. Successful in both its instrumental and vocal tracks. Jim Willingham and his band should be proud. Athens should be proud."

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Four stars.

3hive:

"...sounds like Roger Miller on Robitussin"

 

MP3s.

Download: "Pop Song For A Funeral" (from Ham1)

Download: "Out On The Tarmac" (from Ham1)

More downloads available at the Ham1 website.

 

Pictures.

Hi-res color photo.

 

Shows

Coming soon.

 

Links.

Myspace.

Website.

 

(all logos by Ian Darken)

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