Review of "Ice at Home"
"From the Harry Nilsson-esque “Steam Locomotive” to the Chuck Berry chug of “Perfect Girl,” these 13 original songs are presented in an unvarnished, warts-and-all style that highlights the harmonies and varied picking styles. But it's Hirshberg's raw, nasally bray that ties it all together. He's no crooner, but then, neither are John Prine or Bob Dylan, right? The near lack of reverb or processing on his voice gives it a vulnerable, yet unapologetic quality. This refusal to sand down the rough edges or ingratiate himself to the listener also comes through in some of the lyrics, such as on “The Rider” when he sings, “She tries hard to make her own luck / Baby needs someone who (exhibits a level of interest).”
Another standout track is “Calendar Blues,” a hillbilly vaudeville polka that hilariously recounts a marriage gone bad from the first date all the way to “that day in court (when) I told the judge ‘I don't.' ” At just over two minutes, it's the shortest song on the album, but also the most fun. Hmm. Larry, let me give you my analyst's number.
The best song on the CD is “209.1 FM.” Inspired, no doubt, by Larry's long-running DJ gig at KBGA, this sad little waltz hangs on the framework of Sporman's gloomy bass notes like tattered laundry in the backyard of a shack under the airport's flight line. The melancholy, late-night feel of the music perfectly supports Hirshberg's duet with himself, as he sings of “wide awake disjointed beats.” Obtuse writing is Hirshberg's specialty, and he seems loath to spell out anything too clearly for the listener. Still, when the music's this good, I don't care if he's singing about a recipe for potato latkes - I'm dancing, baby."
Bob Wire - Missoulian (Jun 14, 2007)