Saturday, 20 August 2016

The Stray Birds - Magic Fire


Rating: 5/5

Review:
An excellent album



I'm pleased to say that I really like this album.  I enjoyed Best Medicine (their previous one) but, unlike many others, found it just a little lacking in genuine emotion, somehow.  Not here – this is full of zing, sincerity and superb musicianship.

A few samples will give you the feel of this album.  It often has a rootsy feel, enhanced by the instrumentation which includes banjo and fiddle, and it's just great.  There is such energy and obvious joy in the music they're making, backed up by some real instrumental virtuosity, excellent singing (with great harmonies) and a fine ensemble feel, too.  They have a genuine mutual understanding which I think underlies the whole thing and makes it rather special.  There's a good variety of material and feel throughout; Third Day In  Row put me in mind of Tom Petty, Somehow is an out-and-out Country/Everlys heartbreak song, Hands Of A Man has the feel of a passionate traditional ballad (with a real political bite) and so on – and all of it's done very well indeed.

Any slight dubiety I had after Best Medicine has gone: Magic Fire is a really fine album which I have been listening to repeatedly with great pleasure and which I can recommend wholeheartedly.

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