BUY THIS ALBUM

I apologize for the over-saturation of music related posts in recent weeks, but I can't help myself. I promise I have some other posts on a different subject matter brewing up, but in the meantime...

So my current job is coming to an end soon (well, not soon soon, but I'm planing ahead), and I'm getting ready to shift into travel/wanderer mode. One of my plans include a Music Festival out in New Jersey called All Points West. While checking out their website for the various artists that would be performing I stumbled across a gem of a find. They're called The Felice Brothers, and they hail from Upstate New York (what! what!). After listening to a few tracks and reading a few reviews I downloaded the album, and I have not stopped listening to it since. I recommended the album to my aforementioned blond pixie friend with impeccable music taste, "Buy the album, you won't be sorry." I couldn't remember the last time I recommended an album buy so quickly and with such conviction. But that's how strongly I feel about this band of three brothers and a wandering dice player.

•The Felice Brothers ~ The Felice Brothers•

The album has an old town folk sound, yet with heavy rock and country influences. The entire album sounds as if it were recorded at an old saloon in front of friends and family chasing shots of whiskey with bottles of Bud. The lead singer Ian freely clears his throat, introduces songs, and praises his brothers instrumental ability on the tracks, yet it works perfectly within the story-telling feel of the album. An added bonus is the fact that his gruff voice easily reminds one of Bob Dylan in his prime. Their lyrics usually spin beautiful tales of heart-ache, murder, betrayal, happiness, and love. A handful of my favorites include, "Frankie's Gun", "Greatest Show On Earth", "Love Me Tenderly", "Radio Song", "Wonderful Life", and "St. Stephen's End".

Using organs, trumpets, and accordions, the Felice Brothers perfectly capture a musical era/method you thought didn't exist anymore. Don't walk out to buy this album, run.

And if you get a chance check them out at All Points West in New Jersey or the Outside Land's festival in San Francisco.