This debut album from a hairy Americana four-piece is described by band leader Josh Bower as “nautical gypsy grass rock'n'roll” while fiddle player Luke Lindholm calls it “bluegrass gypsy folk."
The gypsy tag in both descriptions seems apt given that Bower’s childhood was spent in a state of constant motion with his parents moving every couple years between Colorado, Texas and Arkansas.
Living is a variety of mountain towns and temporary homes led to the composition of what Bower calls On Conifer he sings “I will stay a wanderer / Where I go matters least / The open road is where I'm free.”
The mandolin is the instrument that led to Bower’s musical direction to switch dramatically from Heavy Metal influences to a rocking Hillbilly sound. “The fact that it's such an ancient-sounding instrument changed everything for me." says Bower. 1879 was the first song he wrote after this epiphany.
When his younger brother Nick joined on drums a full-blown band was complete. Eric Vrtis on bass makes up the foursome.
The album was recorded at Sonic Ranch studios near the Texas-Mexico and produced by Ted Hutt who contributes guitar to Cannonball, a driving song with a distinctive Irish lilt.
The title track features Cooper McBean of ‘The Devil Makes Three’ on banjo (heard but not seen on the official video).
Overall, the energy of the record is a little manic at times but its driving momentum is infectious.
