As musicians, artists, and songwriters we spend our lives trying to perfect our art with an always vague sense of what our “sound” is. Constantly seeking an ever shifting cocktail of sounds that are dynamic and influenced by what we are consistently bombarded with by our peers and the folks we admire. The second I heard the harmony and natural unity that lay within the sound that is produced when Ian and Dustin perform together I said “this is it”. The thing that I had been relentlessly searching for myself was solidified in these gents’ songs. It was immediate for me from the first note and I was hooked on their style, their performance, their banter, their writing. Everything just clicked for me and I was immediately floored that I had finally found it…but extremely envious that I wasn’t the one that the music was coming from.
As I got to know the boys and share the stage with them on occasion I found more to them than just two brothers that make music together. They are a sounding board for each other’s songs, adding the perfect amount of one another’s attitude, style, and personality to the songs that they play on stage and off. Perhaps it’s the brothers element that makes it just fit perfectly like a puzzle piece missing from the box for anyone else who attempts to complete the full picture, but these two just happen to have in their back pocket. Maybe it’s just that they are incredibly gifted individuals who have come together and would be as good as they are regardless of the blood ties. All I know is I am glad that they have each other and that music found these young guys.
Part Gillian and Dave, part Louvin Brothers, part Milk Carton Kids…sure you could make all of those comparisons, but there is still something just special about these boys that isn’t quite anything that is already existing. When you find that one person you click with in a musical environment with equal passion and talent, it is just something exceptional and being able to watch it unfold is always a wonderful experience. Plus…they are brothers, so you know the banter is always entertaining.
I am honored to welcome in The Meadows Brothers as the Red Line Roots Featured Artist for the month of December…