This is the third album of songs from Oisin Leech and Mark McCausland, and judging from the musicians they have worked with and the critical acclaim they have received they are definitely on an upward trajectory.
This is the first time I have heard them and the first thing that strikes me is their voices in harmony are not dissimilar to The Everly Brothers. The second is that this material is heavily rooted in Americana. It’s prison, hangings and love letters (universal subject matter to be fair) and all fleshed out with acoustic instruments and bar room joanna.
Not Now Warden (the prison song) opens proceedings but Far Side (the letter song) is the stand out track for me. Simple chords tug away and then the song lifts as the drums come in. The far side of nowhere at all/still wearing those same old shoes/just singing those lonesome blues. Widow Maker (the hanging song) sounds a bit hammy to me but I may be missing the point.
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Elsewhere, Tumbling Line has a real sixties sing-along feel to it, complete with whistling melody. Blue Moon In September really is The Everly Brothers and all moons in America must be blue! Hey Miss Fannie is the only cover on the album and it’s a honky-tonk rock and roll number a la Tutti Frutti.
The album finishes with Until The Morning, an atmospheric number replicating a man drowning his sorrows at the local bar perhaps? If it’s murder ballads you want try Bob Frank and John Murry but fans of Plant and Krauss may want to take a peek at this album. I give it a professional...7/10.
The Lost Brothers online
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