For this album, Ian Hoe imagines a fictional band (Canyon Falls Trailer Band) performing for one night in an attempt to secure a recording contract. Whether the band succeeded is left unanswered. The songs are inspired by the people, places and communal identity of Eastern Kentucky.
Noe himself is from Lee County, Kentucky and his debut ‘Between the Country’ (2019) and sophomore album ‘River Fools & Mountain Saints’ (2022) are thematically related. He says: “The first two records were like siblings, the brother and sister, This record is their parents.”
The album was recorded with Andrija Tokić at Nashville studio The Bomb Shelter, and it features contributions from Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie McCoy on harmonica, fiddle player Billy Contreras, and Russ Pahl on pedal steel. The aim was to preserve the spontaneity of a live performance.
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This ode to the enduring appeal of Appalachian country music is destined to have a greater resonance for American listeners.
Speaking personally, the traditional Nashville sound has less fascination than its ‘alternative’ variants. For this reason this 16-song double album strikes me as more interesting for its concept rather than for the musical content.
Ian Noe’s website
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