Origin: Nashville, Tennessee
Genre: Americana/Folk/Alternative Country
Record Label: Columbia, Sensibility Records
Band Members: Joy Williams and John Paul White
After months of being on hiatus, The Civil Wars are back in the music scene with their new self-titled album. This album features twelve incredible and haunting tracks that are each filled with a story. Although many bands fail to make their sophomore album memorable, The Civil Wars have beaten the odds and made a remarkable sequel to Barton Hollow.
The album kicks off with the track entitled “The One That Got Away”. This song provides a strong, distinctive sound that sets up the tone for the rest of the tracks. Williams takes the lead with powerful vocals that harmonize flawlessly with White’s lower voice. With added instruments, this song delivers an edgy tone that remains throughout the album. White takes the lead on the second track of the album entitled “I Had Me a Girl”. His low tenor voice combined with his high falsetto creates a masculine, commanding energy to the country-rock song. Williams adds a sweeter tone that evens out the track and adds balance.
To add diversity, the duo winds down for a softer, melancholy track called “Tell Mama”. Lyrically enchanting, this song is as moving as it is dark. Williams performs with a more gentle approach that allows the listener to drift away. My favourite track on the album would have to be “Devil’s Backbone”. This song is badass on all levels, and the combination of the drums and the power behind the vocalists brought this song to life.
Although The Civil Wars are known for their soft, acoustic-folk sound, they have been experimenting more with country and rock genres that make this album truly unique. Each song told a vivid story, and the lyrics made their self-titled album dark and mysterious. This, in my opinion, is their best album yet.
The Civil Wars: 9.1/10
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