Never judge a book by its cover; that’s what they say. Similarly, never judge a band’s sound by the instruments they wield. Bec Taylor & the Lyrebirds are a great example of just why not. With banjo and mandolin, plus occasional steel pedal, cello and violins, sitting at the heart of their sound, and the more usual contemporary band instruments gathered around them, you would be forgiven for thinking that this is just another traditional country band or perhaps a dyed-in-the-wool bluegrass outfit. You would be wrong.
Bec and the gang make the sort of delicate indie-roots pop that sits at the cutting edge of the roots music story, the sound of what folk music did next, if you like, the sound of the here-and-now. Songs such as Photograph feel like washed-out and haunted Americana, and Wormhole ebbs and flows on a delicate yet rhythmic indie swell. Glasgow sees them in a gently buoyant mood, and Anchor is indie-pop that has grown up listening to classic country.
Roots music, like all genres, has to move with the times, stay relevant, and lay the foundations for its own future. Limbs & All is the sound of that happening before your very eyes…err… ears.
Discover more from Dancing About Architecture
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
