Review Written by Ionas Finser
A wistful guitar line commences “Down the Rabbit Hole,” reveling in gorgeous reverberation and displaying the mood of the song. Harold Vondenstein’s vocals enter, treating us to the singer’s advanced sense of emotional expression and timing. Every word holds melodic power, while echoes at the end of each phrase add to the rich, regretful atmosphere of the song.
Lyrically, Bible Belt Blues aim to capture the process of repentance and the state of being prior to repentance. "My life's a mess... mmm, Oh what a mess." Lyricist Paula Vega Vondenstein is a writer who goes straight for the truth and in doing so allows others to let their guard down and let the spirit in. It's a brave and bold approach. "Ohhh...I'm so filled with shame. With no one else but me to blame." She cleverly uses the vivid metaphor of going down a rabbit hole which is an allusion to falling into a bad situation that gets increasingly difficult and troublesome as it unfolds.
By creating a mix that is so full of reverberation and texture, the artists bring their listeners fully into a state of mind where such healing processes can take place. The lyrics of the song beautifully capture the feelings of regret and shame that one can feel in life, and pave the way for all to find inner salvation.
“I'm so filled with shame With no one else but me to blame I'm slipping down Slipping down the rabbit hole”
Bible Belt Blues forge a unique and ever-enjoyable combination of musical creativity and moral faith. True to their Mississippi Blues style at every step, the group provides a sound that listeners can remember and gravitate towards. “Down the Rabbit Hole” perfectly encapsulates the nature of Bible Belt Blues, as a song that pleases the ears and brings higher meaning to those who need it.
For more information about Bible Belt Blues, please visit their website.
About Bible Belt Blues
Everything about Bible Belt Blues is counter-culture: from the crafting of their bold, biblically sound lyrics that address sin, repentance, and salvation, to the recapturing of a musical genre that many say is a dying art- early Mississippi blues.
After studying the history of Mississippi’s blues, Harold and Paula Vega Vondenstein discovered the hauntingly beautiful D & E minor chords of Bentonia blues that lend themselves so perfectly to full-fledged repentance songs that are so lacking in churches these days. It was a match made in heaven and Bible Belt Blues was officially launched in September of 2018. 2019 was an amazing year for the Vondensteins with the release of two Gospel Blues albums, “I’m Not Ashamed to Be a Christian” and “My God, My God” to winning the coveted Josie Music Award for Gospel/ Christian Duo.
Seventeen of their songs have already received radio airplay thanks to Bill and Kat Radio’s Cross 104 Gospel Blues Hour Syndicated Program, Country Blast’s Multi-Genre Hour, WQFX Power Gospel Radio, and BWH Music Group’s WNIR Radio. Bible Belt Blues is actively seeking bookings for Revival Concerts at churches, colleges, and theatres.
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