A joyous celebration of togetherness and love.
“When I was younger, my dad used to say, ‘Don’t expect an inheritance; I put all the money in the memory bank'”. This quote was Drew Holcomb’s starting point for this album. After nearly twenty years of marriage and working together, it was the perfect time to put their own memories down into their first album as a duo and writing the songs together for the very first time. The result is a joyful celebration of their time together and is a very easy and rewarding listen. You can feel the love between them. “If you find you find Gold, you hold on. Never going to let you go.”
The title track is a rocky song which name-checks Fleetwood Mac and certainly has that classic feel, complete with harmonica. It’s a great and very pleasurable start to this road trip. The duo swap lead vocals and sing together, very easily, and their voices blend perfectly. In the process, they they explore several different genres, putting their indelible stamp on them all. ‘Rain or Shine’ is a Motown-inspired song about mutual support, driven by harmonica, organ, and a lovely, slow, steady groove. ‘Silver Thread’ is a piano ballad that certainly has gospel roots. In ‘Shut Pp and Dance’, they pass the microphone between each other, giving the feeling of two lovers sparing on the dance floor.
‘You Drive Me Crazy’ is a tongue-in-cheek song about the joys of being married with children but still wanting to find the time for other pursuits. ‘Where you Gonna Go’ has a slow clap stomp to it. The variety of the songs throughout makes for such a charming listen but the common thread running through them all is undeniable.
Ellie explains, “Memory Bank reflects nearly 20 years of marriage and hard work. You can’t write together or sing together if you don’t leave space for the other person. We’re so proud of the music we make with our own projects, but for this album, we had to learn how to share the power and the responsibility.”.
The album does certainly feel like a testament to their journey together, both as a couple and as individual artists. It’s a voyage built on mutual trust space, but mostly, a deep and treasured love that shines through so radiantly. Not to be missed.
