There’s a certain variety of country/rock song that feels like it’s been floating around for decades, even if it’s spanking new. “Hot As The Hinges” has that worn-in quality. Built around a phrase that’s equal parts scrappy wisdom and tongue-in-cheek folklore, the new single from Todd Adelman And The Woodsmen celebrates the Hudson Valley, N.Y.-based Americana outfit’s love of timeless songwriting, earthy grooves and lived-in storytelling.
“The tune was written on my front porch in Woodstock,” says Adelman. “A buddy of mine called me up and told me he’d just been walking down the street with his mother-in-law, who was roughly 90 years old. A beautiful woman walked by, and his mother-in-law turned to him and said, ‘That woman is hot as the hinges hanging on the gates of hell.’”
Adelman’s friend asked him if he’d heard the phrase before. He hadn’t—making it perfect fodder for a song. “Ten minutes later, it was finished,” he says.
Founder of the Woods analog recording facility, Adelman assembled the Woodsmen during the pandemic. He’s joined by guitarist Danny Blume, bassist Jeff Hill and drummer John Valesio, whose combined portfolio includes work with Iggy Pop, the Lounge Lizards, Jewel, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle and members of the B-52’s and Bad Brains. “Hot As The Hinges” can be found on Todd Adelman And The Woodsmen (Vfib), which is out Friday. Until then, we’re left to ponder the legitimacy of the saying that inspired the single.
“I’ve since heard the phrase in a song by Todd Snider,” says Adelman. “I get a chuckle every time I hear it.”
We’re proud to premiere Todd Adelman And The Woodsmen’s “Hot As The Hinges.”
—Hobart Rowland
See Todd Adelman And The Woodsmen live.
