Shovels and Rope, the husband and wife team of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst
, came on the music scene in 2008. Their eponymous first cd, released late that year, got the 180 gram treatment by Dualtone Records in 2013 and my wife eagerly nabbed a copy. Skeptical at first, I was easily converted. It is all over the folk, blues and rock map, evoking at times the likes of Nick Cave, Thom York, Geeshie Wiley, Jack White and Steve Earle.
Of course Shovels and Rope are just drawing on their sources, but they also stand firmly in their own sound and ideas. It's a great album.
Listen here to a couple divergent numbers to get a taste of their lovely first effort:
Hollowpoint Tooth:
1200 Miles:
See you on the Flip-side!
Wickedly good stuff. At least someone in your family has good music tastes. They recently played in Denver at a very small venue with an opening act I really wanted to take in. Sadly I could not go that night. Next time.
ReplyDeleteThese two have so much going on! They do so much with so little (instrumentation). I am captivated nearly every time we spin this record. Her voice was the initial tug for me. But now I am amazed by the duets, which can be so subtly perfect. It's no wonder they are married. I thank my friend Arann Harris (http://arannharris.com/) for turning me on to them. From now on if Arann says something is 'the best', I'm gonna take his word for it.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious, Jack. You say you were skeptical at first. Why?
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