Album Review: The Pines - Tremolo (Red House Records)

Following on from their Red House debut SPARROWS IN THE BELL, which in turn followed their self-titled debut on a previous label, Minneapolis-based band The Pines return with their third album to date, demonstrating their own distinctive blend of folk, blues and Americana. David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey, both originally from Iowa and now collectively known as The Pines, recorded TREMOLO in just two days with Ramsey's father Bo Ramsey producing and Tom Tucker at the mixing desk. 

On the sleeve, the duo look curiously like a couple of youthful Amish farmers, hanging around their orchard, tentatively awaiting their Rumspringa in the Devils' playground. Well there's no better Devil's playground to be explored than the blues world, which the duo appear to have already discovered. Drawing from both a folk and blues background, The Pines are just as comfortable with traditional music, the country blues classics from another era as they are with their own compositions. Spider John Koerner's The Skipper and His Wife and Mississippi John Hurt's Spike Driver Blues, heavily influence by the traditional John Henry, appear to melt seamlessly into the overall sound that the band creates, along with the remaining eight self-penned cuts. 

There's no over-zealous blues shouting here, no forced impressions of Muddy Waters nor Skip James, rather a pretty much home grown version of the blues, which provides the duo with their unique sound. The performances and the feel of the album remains pretty much laid back throughout with almost whispered vocal performances from both Huckfelt and Ramsey ably assisted by JT Bates on drums, James Buckley on bass, Alex Ramsey on keyboards and Adam Krinsky providing the tambourine on Shiny Shoes. Bo Ramsey, previously known for his work with Lucinda Williams and Greg Brown, also fills out the sound with some additional electric guitar and weissenborn.

With just the one throw away track, the instrumental Avenue of the Saints, which is there possibly to add atmosphere, the album provides a taster for what to expect during their debut UK tour in November 2010.  

Buy from Amazon:

	The Pines Tremolo Red House Records 2011-05-30 £15.99