A Review for the Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange
By Mark Horn, host
Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
These two singer songwriters on their premier recording for Flying Fish show once again that much of the coolest stuff going on in music today is happening in Austin, Texas. This album includes a range of traditional songs and original material.
"I'm Leaving Tonight" is gutsy song about new found self-confidence. The confidence to leave a bad relationship. With upbeat tempo and harmonies, Deaville makes the point that, "Things don't just because you want them to, things don't change but I do."
In "Face in the Moon," Gillman conjures up a misty pastel memory of adolescent Saturday nights. Impressions; the recalled fragments of youth that she harmonizes in such a haunting way as to more create a mood than tell a story.
If this albums only contained the two songs "Sweetwater Town" and " Cold Drink in a Dry County" it would be well worth the money. Gillman and Deaville, however, make sure that we get what we pay for and much more.
"Stay and Play" is a hilarious look of the world from a dog's eye view. Yes, this song captures what all dog owners know and why our pets are such a big part of our lives.
But songwriting is only part of the story for this talented duo. Deaville, a champion fiddler, was the first woman and Canadian to compete in the National Flatpick Championships in Winfield, Kansas. Gillman is a strong guitarist who moves deftly between a variety of stringed instruments. Her arsenal of musical might includes the dulcimer, which she plays slung over her shoulder like a guitar.
Backing up Gillman and Deaville are some of the best musicians in the business. They include John Hagen on cello; Bradley Kopp, guitar; and Floyd Domino (Asleep at the Wheel), on piano. Producer Mark Hallman (Carole King, Sara Hickman, and Ian Matthews) does a superb job of selecting and mixing the musicians for a sound that is truly uptown without turning the album into commercial pap.
Selections:
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