Sisters & Brothers
Pinecastle, 2024
8/10
The 7th album from the Minnesota outfit, The Roe Family Singers bring us 12 songs inspired by the pandemic and that are a love letter to The Pogues, who certainly inspired their Irish and American formula.
The upbeat and warm “Road To Hell” opens with Noah Levy’s thumping drums complementing the fluid strings, and “Little Trouble” follows with gorgeous vocals from Kim Roe, where stirring fiddle from Annie Savage is quite impactful.
Into the middle, “That September Day” is vocally strong, as Kim and Quillan Roe make for a stunning, A cappella moment, while “Too Big To Fail” carries a retro spirit thanks to Eric Paulson’s playful bass and Kim’s bright singing.
Arriving close to the end, “Bedtime In Boogie Town” leads soft, but quickly escalates into a dance floor ready album highlight viat the meticulous mandolin bouts and plenty of bluegrass energy, and “World Without A Gun” exits with a swift, dynamic and timeless rural rocker that uses vocal harmonies and glowing string acrobatics.
All the tunes here were penned by Quillan, and the old time formula that blends roots, bluegrass and folk is capable of swinging with charm, just as it can get intimate, and the accordion, saw, banjo sticks and no lack of strings won’t be hard to appreciate, either.
Travels well with: Circus No. 9- Circus No. 9; Ray Cardwell- Just A Little Rain