In these eleven songs of joy and sorrow, this trio from Cincinnati prove that, even when ploughing a familiar furrow, it is still possible to harvest some rich pickings.
There are many old timey fiddle bands playing this kind of 'traditional' music but what sets The Tillers apart is the energy and commitment they bring to their self-penned tunes.
CD sleeve photos show the three band members posing with photos of their relatives as if to give visual endorsement of Mike Oberst's statement that "Playing folk music you have to be just as much a historian as a musician".
Oberst plays a range of acoustic instruments from banjo to spoons and he is ably supported by the Geil brothers Sean and Aaron. Col. J.D. Wilkes guests on harmonica for I Gotta Move; exhilarating song of a sinner with a devil on his tail and one of the album's highlights.
The Tillers remain faithful to their Appalachian roots but there's such a rawness and immediacy to their sound that it's no surprise to learn from their personal history that they are "recovering punk rockers".
|
Their feisty attitude is particularly evident on stomping tunes like Old Westside and Treehouse.
Like the whole album, these are rendered in glorious analogue and convince the listener that their ambition to keep on playing "till our bodies turn cold" comes from the heart.
The Tillers' website
|
