The Yearlings “Skywriting” (Sonic Rendezvous, 2018)

Hailing from that mecca of Americana …..Utrecht, I give you The Yearlings with their latest, long-gestating release – 3rd album in 16years! – “Skywriting“. Not an obvious location for an album chockful of big songs that speak of big skies and carry breezy melodies by the score. Think  – The Dunwells or The Whybirds – these are Pettyesque songs played with brio and verve and the harmonies really chime. But the joy is in the production details. ‘New Job’ features some subtle but highly effective pedal steel, ‘My Deliverance’ has vocals that bounce along as double tracked reverb-soaked harmonies whilst the guitars ramp up, ‘Evelene (You’ve Got To Know It)’ allows a Wilburyesque guitar line lead the listener to a Jayhawks/Byrds chorus. 

This is an album of influences constructed in a loving way to celebrate a particular genre and it works in its own joyous way. And so the album rolls on – ‘On My 370′ – is a groovy narrative set to a jaunty jangle that again leads to a killer chorus, while ‘Summer Shower’ is as Paisley as The Rain Parade with its stately chiming guitars.

However, the stand out track is the highly melancholy ‘My Deliverance’ which has the most gorgeous minor chord signature. It is very close to the Faces/Golden Smog number ‘Glad and Sorry;’ so close, in fact, that they may need to apply for legal aid but this listener doesn’t care as the sentiment and the musicality of the lift is too good to reject on the grounds of a minor misdemeanour. 

Well worth a listen – proper Americana – from Holland! 

Proper Americana - from Holland! Get some!
7/10
7/10

About Keith Hargreaves 357 Articles
Riding the one eyed horse into dead town the scales fell from his eyes. Music was the only true god at once profane and divine The dust blew through his mind as he considered the offering... And then he scored it out of ten and waited for the world to wake up
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Leon

Thanks Keith! Album can be streamed here (free): https://theyearlings.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4HjlVndCtyyk8FUTqdQCtn

[…] more information but you only read English. But Keith Hargreaves over at one of my favorite sites, Americana UK, posted this review, and I’ll close it out by sharing a few of his […]