Punch Brothers
The Phosphorescent Blues/Nonesuch Records
This is some glorious music. If you aren’t wholly mesmerized by the end of the epic 10-minute opener “Familiarity”—complete with three movements, spellbinding mandolin work and the group’s stunning ability to harmonize—then you are likely dead inside. The sweetly rapturous chamber folk of “My Oh My” has a goosebump-inducing quality to it, and the bluegrass-tastic “Boll Weevil” is a knee slapper. The lively folk pop track “Magnet” showcases the band’s love of word play: “What’s the center between/Two centers of attention?/Or is there only tension between/Two centers of attention,” while riffing off the practice of reading between the lines. With tracks that plumb emotional depths ranging from the fear of being alone (“Forgotten”) to thoughts on what heaven looks like (“Julep”), The Phosphorescent Blues candidly examines many sides of life and the results are nothing short of gorgeous.
Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors
Medicine/Magnolia Music
Relational bonds—be they familial, romantic, spiritual or emotional—have always been at the crux of Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors’ songs. Love is the narrative that populates the group’s latest, Medicine—whether you are in it (“Here We Go”), struggling with it (“You’ll Always be My Girl”) or out of it (“American Beauty”). The warm Southern rock augments the themes expressed throughout, and as usual, Drew’s insightful lyrical prowess is enhanced considerably when his wife Ellie chimes in with her throaty harmonies, especially on rockers like “Tightrope.” “Shine Like Lightning” stands as one of the album’s highlights with its folksy intro followed by a propulsive rock beat, making it a perfect road trip accompaniment, so get onboard.
The Vespers
Sisters and Brothers/Self-released
The cleverly titled third album from this pair of unrelated sisters and brothers (See what they did there?) is a pleasant surprise. Not content to continue churning out melodic bluegrass and Americana, the quartet has boldly expanded here. From the opener “Break the Cycle”—which sounds like the promo music for a trailblazing Western—to the country pop of “Not Enough,” The Vespers adds a number of new wrinkles to its repertoire. The funky bluegrass pop track “New Kids” further broadens the appeal, as does the driving, soulful rock number “Signs,” but as the press release points out-: The band has not abandoned the elements that made people fall in love with it in the first place, it’s simply added to them. The upbeat bluegrass number “Cynical Soul” showcases Callie and Phoebe Cryar’s engaging harmonies, while the ambient folk track “The Curtain” highlights the band’s penchant for perseverance. Sisters and Brothers is an adventurous step for this rootsy group, but it hits the mark.