We recently featured this co-ed folk duo for their single “Poison & Wine” on our weekly jukebox. Their impeccable harmonies and musical synergy made for the perfection combination of audible harmony. Honestly, the first time I heard them I was reminded of The Swell Season, a group made famous by the modern motion picture musical “Once” released in 2006. The Civil Wars had the same type of energy and passion for the music as The Swell Season, and it really showed.
Their latest (and first official) release, Barton Hollow, exemplifies their “musical synergy”, a term first coined earlier in the first paragraph of this post by me. The album is a tribute to folk music with each track generating the kind of traditional, simple acoustic sound you’d expect from artists like Ray LaMontagne or Amos Lee. Singers John Paul White and Joy Williams first met at a camp for aspiring songwriters and immediately recognized their potential as a duet. Lucky for us, that partnership led to the creation of an EP and, now, their first full-length album.
Barton Hallow includes a recording of “Poison & Wine” along with other powerful tracks including “C’est la Mort” and the title track “Barton Hallow”. You’ll find a great mix of blue-sy, soulful folk songs that exhibit both singers vocal talent and smooth harmonies. Oddly enough, co-lead singer John Paul White also has an odd resemblance to Johnny Depp. Maybe it’s the goatee.
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When I was first given the latest release from April Smith and The Great Picture show, it was like the skies opened up and light shown down directly on my face. I felt a warmth the likes of which I hadn’t felt in quite some time. Of course the light was merely hypothetical and the warmth was from the space heater I was sitting too close to, but I still think it was a sign. FreshScouts got a chance to catch up with this sexy, sultry artist from Toms River, New Jersey and honestly, we were completely blown away by the show.
She has a certain stage presence that makes you immediate think of some of the great performers of the 20′s and 30′s, and you realize very quickly that this little package packs a very large punch. She had my attention the entire show and left me wanting more. I guarantee we’ll be at the next show in Chicago and you would be cheating yourself if you weren’t there too.
Luckily, we were able to catch up with her after the show to talk about her upcoming plans for 2011 and find out just exactly how she got started in the music industry. Check out our exclusive interview with April Smith:
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I’ve been waiting for some good hip-hop. I’ve recently held my breath for this hip-hop (but only for 20 seconds, then I can’t really breathe and I have to give up), but it never came. I mean, sure my latest dirty secret is the newest Kanye West album, but I wouldn’t say it’s “good” hip-hop; just well-produced catchy hip-hop from a cocky producer that craps gold. I thought all hope was lost, then I was introduced to Atmosphere.
Atmosphere is sort of a mixture between The Flobots and The Gorillaz in the sense that their beats are highly developed and unique, and their lyrical flow is incredibly robust. You’ll get lost in their tracks with a veritable mixture of grungy electric guitars, simple piano riffs and reverbed chordal progressions. Of course, you’ll get a heavy mix of hot drum beats that will encourage you to make attempts at rapping (realizing very quickly that this is not something you are good at.)
Who would have thought that such a successful hip-hop group would come from Minneapolis, MN? I mean, don’t get me wrong I’ve got nothing against Minneapolis. It is a fine city full of culture and malls that are entirely too big. But you don’t exactly think of Minneapolis when you think of “the next best thing in hip-hop music.” Just goes to show that you can never judge a book by its cover. Unless that book is “Justin Bieber: The Unauthorized Biography”, then yeah I think you can pretty much judge it by its cover.
If you want some super solid hip-hop that’s new and different and refreshing and not touched at all by Kanye West, then check out Atmosphere. They’re the bomb (as referenced by the 90′s.)
Check out To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy on:
We loves us some Amos Lee. He is one of the more soulful, powerful male singers we’ve heard in a while and he consistently puts out music that captures his style, emotion and fervor. He’s a man of many musical tastes which is exemplified in his music. You’ll hear the acoustic singer-songwriter background in just about every song, but he adds in splashes of blues, soul, R&B, country and folk to give a well-rounded signature sound that travels with him on every album he makes.
His latest release, Mission Bell, is no exception. It pulls in inspiration from all of these different styles and is absolutely Amos Lee. Admittedly I’ve always been a fan of the Philadelphian singer-songwriter, but something about the consistency in which he creates memorable albums is an accomplishment most artists can only aspire to. Many times when trying to explain his music to someone that has never heard it, I call him the male Norah Jones. He has a perfectly tuned voice that exemplifies the melody without overpowering the simple background accompaniment (which is most often just an acoustic guitar.)
If you haven’t heard of Amos Lee or simply haven’t gotten around to checking out his music, make this your New Year’s resolution. His self-titled album as well as his sophomore release Supply and Demand got me hooked and are guaranteed to get you hooked too.
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I love The Decemberists. Especially in January. They have that perfect mix of folk and rock that always leaves you wanting more. The sound is contagious, and they honestly have major problems creating songs that are not good. Ok, I guess I wouldn’t say that it’s a “problem” more a blessing, but either way they have a knack for creating pure acoustic gold. With elements of Neil Young and Bob Dylan (as you’ll notice with the first blow of the harmonica), they draw on old-school folk and even some country-blues elements with soulful slide guitar and powerful vocals.
Their latest release The King Is Dead is a soulful delivery of impeccable harmonies and relaxing instrumentation. Like Enya except not. Or possibly like Kenny G, except also not. I’ve always appreciated their incredible combination of traditional folk instruments and styling to create a completely unique sound that’s instantly recognizable as The Decemberists. And with six albums currently out, they are obviously doing something right. If you stood their fan base shoulder to shoulder, the line would wrap around the world six times. That is a completely amazing fact I may or may not have just made up, but I’m sure it’s pretty close. I mean, they have a lot of fans.
Honestly, if you like The Decemberists or even just great relaxing music, you should definitely check out their latest release The King Is Dead. We promise you’ll be satisfied. And it has nothing to do with Enya. We also promise that.
Check out the King Is Dead on:
