Outskirts of Country Blog

The Pines new album another strong entry

Rick Teverbaugh  |  August 5, 2009

I have always admired Red House Records. From artists I've spoken with who spent time on the label it seems a place that encourages creativity above sales and quality above quantity. That belief will be documented in this article and the next.

Today the focus is on The Pines and the upcoming release Tremolo.

I could waste a lot of your time here trying to describe exactly what this music is. It has parts of blues, folk and rock, but in truth Iowa natives David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey have created their own sound with more success than any other band I've heard in years. That's good for the listener but not good for the journalist who often relies on some familiar similarities to convey sound through words.

I will get this one message across crystal clear - this is as good an album of material as I've heard in the past 12 months. There's an honesty and an emotional thread that is consistent through these 10 songs that will likely bring the listener back time and again to soak up every nuance.

Both are outstanding writers. Ramsey offers Heart & Bones and Shiny Shoes, while Huckfelt brings Pray Tell and Shine On Moon. But there are good covers too, like Spider John Koerner's Skipper and His Wife as well as Mississippi John Hurt's Spike Driver Blues.

Another talent they have is making this music sound fresh and contemporary without losing the traditional sound and delivery. You can hear some of their music right here. After you do, please let me know how you would describe the music.