Some of the coolest and gnarliest riffs in Americana today.
The press release for this album contains the words “featuring some of the world’s gnarliest players”. If that phrase isn’t going to draw you to an album then what will? Especially when continuing reading you discover that Derek Trucks offers his slide guitar services in ‘Mine All Mine’ along with contributions from Rich Robinson along the way. ‘Martin’s Garden’ definitely lives up to expectations and draws you in straight from the off with the sleazy groove soaked ‘For Something to Say’, which kicks things off with some rip-roaring vocal harmonies and lead vocals.
‘House on the Hill‘, leads off with a ‘When The Levee Breaks’-esque drum beat before offering up some killer slide guitar and vocal melodies, before the soulful lead single ‘Mine All Mine’ graces us with the tasteful slide licks of Derek Trucks. ‘Maggie‘ brings with it a whole new atmosphere, transporting us space-bound with some long reverbs and head swirling vocals.
Dave O’Grady and Muireann McDermott, the band’s leading members, work their vocal parts together so skilfully. Using the timbre of their voices to great effect, especially standing out on ‘Whiskey’. ‘Winter’s Getting Warmer’ rocks things up a hell of a lot, big guitar riffs kick you in the chest after introducing the track with some trippy delays. ‘Auld Triangle’ brings out the Irish roots of O’Grady and McDermott, with their own take on the traditional Irish folk song. Using space to their advantage, they bring this song to life in their own creative way, adding a whole new dimension to the album in its later stages before closing out with the simplistic ‘My Oldest Friend’ where O’Grady and McDermott are accompanied only with an acoustic guitar, whilst intimately singing beautifully constructed harmonies.
‘Martin’s Garden’ is a great listen for anybody who enjoys their earthy and rootsy Americana. The album does indeed feature some of the world’s gnarliest players and they totally live up to expectations in this release. Not only are you treated with straight-ahead blues rock riffage, but they also treat you to their more subtle side, with the spacier, more ambient tracks. Well-produced by Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Tyler Greenwell, it’s definitely worth your time to listen and dive into its depths.
