Travelers Rest
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
The debut record from the duo of David Benedict (mandolin) and Tabitha Agnew Benedict (banjo), as The Foreign Landers the pair bring their honest folk and bluegrass ways to a listen that surrounds their move across the Atlantic to Travelers Rest, South Carolina.
“Traveler” opens the listen with a progressive bluegrass formula that comes with soothing harmony vocals and much warm nostalgia amid the precise banjo playing, and “Waves” follows with electric guitar from Ethan Ballinger adding much to the pretty Americana that’s quite poetic.
Halfway through, Brittany Haas’ meticulous fiddle and Reuben Agnew’s expressive voice help make “Flying Back To You” one of the album’s best, while “We’ll Be Fine” recruits Karl Smakula’s moody pedal steel and Stephen Benedict’s well timed snare to the eloquent and intimate Americana.
“Garden” and “The Last Song” exit the listen, where the former really showcases Tabitha’s stirring and alluring Irish voice alongside the pair’s dynamic string interaction, and the latter emits so much gentle beauty and memorableness that finishes the record far too soon.
A very forthright body of work that follows a unique path and is delivered with much care, for those with an ear for folk, bluegrass, Americana and even country sounds, Travelers Rest will be a nice way to spend 40 minutes.
Travels well with: The Slocan Ramblers- Up The Hill And Through The Fog; Derek Hoke- Electric Mountain