The Whiskey Farm is reminiscent of Yonder Mountain String Band in the vocals and instrumentation (with the add-on of drums, I suppose). The songs are mostly upbeat and driven by classic instruments like mandolins and acoustic guitars with simple and effective vocal harmonies. Jason Horowitz’s vocal is warm and happy, crisp and clear on the recording. The music is somewhere between folk, bluegrass, and country, dancing a fine line with a healthy balance to keep fans of all music happy.
The opening track “The Boys of Forest Hill” sounds like a traditional bluegrass tune and lucky for us, it definitely bears some resemblance to one as well…but with a bit of a rock n’ roll tinge to it’s being. A story song about Alabama’s sons heading to war, in true ‘grass fashion, and plows along with banjo and a clean and hard guitar playing all over the track. This is my vote for standout song on the album and I bet they absolutely kill it live with extended jams and a really nice build up. “She Knows” has a cool trilly guitar line, leading into the full band kick and a fun flirtation of the female and male vocal parts. The line is a little funky, which is cool and gets my head bopping. The difference in the two tracks, strongly display the bands ability to turn on the versatility, yet the songs all make sense to be on the record. A feat not easily attained and a balance that many groups struggle to get to.
I suppose this could be “pop roots rock n’ grass” if I had to put a label on it. It’s fun and approachable, and has hints of rock n’ roll to keep you moving a bit, while still paying tribute to the roots that is was born from. I enjoyed what The Whiskey Farm is laying down and hope to hear more about these folks in the future.
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