If you’re a fan of traditional folk music, this is an important album from The Southern Residents. Right from the opening of the album, there are haunting and timeless string elements working together to create a wonderful sound.
The instrumentation on the first track of the album, “Devyn Gale” includes a fiddle, banjo, and of course guitars. It rolls along nicely. The vocal harmonies are tight and feel like classic bluegrass well executed. I appreciate how the melody feels “old world” in the best way, yet the lively composition and performance feels like southern mountain music. It’s a great opening.
“Between Love and Blood” is a thematic song about the types of timeless love songs that define classic music. The fiddle offers a nice highlight and the vocal harmonies sound great. I’m not entirely sure of the lyrical connotation, but it seems to be a forbidden love of some sort that goes against social norms or the acceptance of the community in some way.
“A Mother’s Lament” is justifiably sad; it begins with a simple, melancholy melody line. It develops with an unhurried pacing and introspective lyrics. “Green on Green” picks things back up with a spirited style. It feels like a cross between classic British Isles folk music with traditional Appalachian stylings. The combination feels timeless and accessible. The sound is “familiar” in the deepest, truest way I can say.
“This Veil of Tears” feels like it could have been a Carter Family song. It’s a cross between a gospel tune and maybe a timeless traditional. The low lead with the high harmony is perfect for the style of the song. It’s relatively simple, but I think it’s my favorite on the album.
“Death Ain’t the End of Me” feels like it could have come straight from the Grand Ole Opry. It has that old fashioned tongue in cheek humor and a faith-based sentiment. The toe-tapping energy makes it seem like it’d be perfect for a square dance. It’s genuine mountain music and if either of my grandfathers were alive, I’d play this for them. With a similar gospel style to it, “The Path To Righteousness” brings some family-style harmonies and classic gospel lyrics. It’s a good reminder that all of these types of music all came from the same roots.
The following track “Echo Through My Empty Heart” has a real lonesome energy to it. The melodic structure sounds good, mirroring a lot of the classic music in bluegrass and roots music. I really like the half step changes on the chorus. There’s something about this one that feels like home, if I’m honest. I feel like a broken record saying the harmonies and fiddle are great, but they really are.
“My Dying Bed” has more of a melancholy style to it. It’s self reflective, giving a sense of how we pray in our final days for reassurance. “Get Wood” has an up tempo banjo element to moves along nicely, introducing a humorous lyrical element. The character thought his name was “get wood” because he was always told to get wood for the stove. It’s a reminder of a different time in history, but also the simple reflections of a youngster who didn’t have much choice in the matter.
The closing track “By the Time Our Tears Have Dried” has a prayerful quality to it. It really brings the album home for a landing. The melodic style is highlighted nicely with the steel guitar and soft, engaging vocal harmonies.
All told, this album does a wonderful job of bringing together many classic genres. Folks who enjoy bluegrass and roots country music will find a lot to like on this one.
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