This six piece from California's Bay Area bring a West Coast attitude to old time country music.
Their sound is built around traditional instrumentation like mandolin, banjo and violin but the musical boundaries are stretched to the point where this is more new grass than Bluegrass.
The band's repertoire on their Kickstarter-funded debut is divided between originals and covers. The latter includes respectable versions Kate Wolf's Like A Riverand Utah Phillips' Rock Salt & Nails and a dubious hoe-down take on Bob Dylan's Long Ago, Far Away.
There are two instrumentals (Daysleeper and Old Country) penned by mandolin player Adam Roszkiewicz.
The main vocals are those of Melody Walker whose voice seems more suited to power pop than lonesome country. However, she makes a fair stab at the standard Gospel Train ("I woke up with heaven on my mind")
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She is less convincing on her own song Undertaker perhaps because of having to sing weak lines like "take me under where dreams are all asunder".
All told, the commercial gloss on the rustic roots makes for pleasant easy listening album but one that is lacking in fire or soul.
Front Country's website
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