For a long time I felt like I had to say yes to everything. There were a couple times that I was sick and showed up to sing anyway and ended up damaging my voice.
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Americana UK reviews David G Smith’s new record, Witness Trees, noting, “His masterful slide guitar work is on display in spades here, and this album has a more story-driven folk-rock feel to it than his previous releases.”
As soon as the first chords of this fine album chime in the listener’s ears, this oozes class and quality. Smith is a prolific songwriter and guitarist with ten previous albums to his name and an amazing roster of acts he’s previously worked with, including Mary Gauthier, Keb Mo, Justin Townes Earle, Griffin House, Rory Block, Dave Moore and Kelly Willis.
His mind was firmly on the Next Generation in the writing of these songs – specifically about his granddaughters and the world he’s leaving for them.
Brooklyn Vegan shares the new single/video from The Handsome Family, “Joseph,” along with the announcement of their 11th album, Hollow.
Folk duo The Handsome Family, whose song “Far from Any Road” soundtracked the main theme for season one of True Detective, are back with a new album, Hollow. It’s their eleventh LP, the follow up to 2016’s Unseen, and it’s due out on September 8. “We’re astonished to be breathing,” Rennie Sparks says, “let alone still be inspired to write songs and sing together. There’s been a lot of smashed coffee cups in our house over the years, but we’re still unable to resist the urge to make music.” She wrote all the lyrics on the album, and her husband Brett Sparks wrote and recorded all the music, and played most of the instruments. Dave Trumfio mastered, and you can see the tracklist below.
NPR shares new single/video from The Handsome Family, “Joseph,” noting that “Husband-and-wife duo Brett and Rennie Sparks contrast a foreboding, supernatural scene with the sweet simplicity of their piano-driven, waltz-like melody.”
Listen closely to The Handsome Family and it’s as if you have stepped into a strange, shimmering plane. With “Joseph” from the forthcoming album Hollow, husband-and-wife duo Brett and Rennie Sparks contrast a foreboding, supernatural scene with the sweet simplicity of their piano-driven, waltz-like melody, complete with a straightforward yet emotive guitar solo.
Americana Highways reviews Witness Trees, the new album from David G Smith, noting “Smith is adept at constructing likable songs.”
Convincing vocals layered in a late-career black-coffee Eric Andersen manner, with dashes of Tom Paxton. Lots of sincerity in many tunes & some are exceptional (“None of ‘Em Dead,” & “I Wanna Go Out”). Mr. Smith is sure-footed. Much seems to be more about not what’s to be done — but what’s in your conscience.
Folk Radio UK debuts “Joseph,” the new single from The Handsome Family’s forthcoming LP, Hollow, noting, “It is a record lush with leaves and shadows, echoing with occult mystery.”
Brett writes the music, and Rennie writes the words. Their work has been covered by many artists, including Jeff Tweedy, Andrew Bird and most recently, Phoebe Bridgers. Their song “Far From Any Road” was the opening theme for HBO’s True Detective season one and still receives thousands of Shazams every week from all over the world.
They have just announced the release of their eleventh studio album, Hollow (out Sep. 8, 2023), an album that began with a scream in the night (more on below)…it delves into the natural world at the edges of the man-made. It is a record lush with leaves and shadows and echoing with occult mystery.