Path Of Totality
Free Dirt, 2026
10/10
The Knoxville, Tennessee outfit The Montvales, which is spearheaded, by Sally Buice and Molly Rochelson, welcome some friends for these 12 organic tracks that have roots in a touring route that matched a total solar eclipse.
“World Of Trouble” opens with Rochelson and Buice’s smooth voices harmonizing alongside Aaron Goodrich’s thumping drums for the crunchy folk-rock, and “Hellbent On Colorado” follows with flowing banjo and Eddy Dunlap’s well timed pedal steel adding much grace to the dreaminess.
Moving along, “The Wicked” makes great use of Jesse Noah Wilson’s meticulous bass via the rich and cozy climate, while “Cincinnati” offers a heartfelt moment of crisp and immediately memorable Americana that you can’t not be enamored with.
Deeper still, “Our Lady” is both cautious yet adventurous thanks to the hazy instrumentation, and “Eastern Bluebird” exits with firm strumming and soaring folk-rock that could have been penned decades ago and will be relevant for decades to come.
An album that’s political but not rigid, the duo’s voices radiate with much empathy and eloquence, and it suits their really inviting brand of folk, country and Americana that is nothing short of captivating.
Travels well with: Cat Clyde- Mud Blood Bone; John Calvin Abney- Transparent Towns