New Music Tuesday: The Civil Wars
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.
Check out Barton Hallow on:
