Artist: The Wynntown Marshalls
Album: After All These Years
Bitrate: 234kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: Blue Rose Records
Genre: Rock
Size: 139.01 megs
PlayTime: 1h 18min 47sec total
Rip Date: 2017-09-30
Store Date: 2017-09-08
Track List:
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01. Low Country Comedown 4:58
02. Your Time 3:47
03. Red Clay Hill 4:29
04. The Burning Blue 3:44
05. Being Lazy 4:11
06. Canada 4:04
07. Ballad Of Jayne 5:20
08. Tide 5:32
09. Odessa 3:57
10. 11:15 6:38
11. The End Of The Golden Age 4:21
12. Curtain Call 4:44
13. Thunder In The Valley 6:51
14. Moby Doll 6:13
15. Snowflake 2:57
16. Different Drug 7:01
Release Notes:
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One of lifeÆs greatest pleasures is discovering new Americana music. But itÆs
even better to find that the ænewÆ music not only hails from Scotland, but is
accompanied by a back catalogue stretching over ten years. The Wynntown Marshals
are such a find, with a wonderful retrospective album æAfter All These YearsÆ
released this month.
My introduction to the Wynntown Marshals came via Iain Sloan, a stellar pedal
steel and guitar player, who is an integral part of the UK's Blue Rose Code and
features on Peter BruntnellÆs recent tour. SloanÆs pedal steel playing has been
exemplary in both these bands, leading me to track down the Marshals - SloanÆs
own band, which was formed with singer-songwriter Keith Benzie in 2007.
æWhisperingÆ Bob Harris was quick to champion the Marshals after their glorious
re-interpretation of LA GunsÆ æBallad of JayneÆ, which also featured on the
band's first full length album 'Westerner' in 2010, û beating me to it by over
seven years! That album, and the band's 2008 debut 6-track EP (a rare
second-hand copy of which is currently selling for ú90 online), are now
unavailable in hard copy, providing a perfect reason to release a retrospective
for the bandÆs ten-year anniversary. Benzie and Sloan form the core of the
Marshals sound, whilst the bass and drums section has evolved, with a new line
up revealed earlier this year with the addition of drummer Simon Walker and
bassist David McKee.
æAfter All These YearsÆ comprises 16 tracks, 3 of which are exclusive new
recordings û a total of almost 80 minutes of superb music on a single CD. This
is Americana merged with pop, with stellar musicianship at its core. The
existing material is drawn from four different albums, from 2008 û 2015, with
every track sounding exciting and polished. The tracks aren't chronological, and
without reviewing the back catalogue I wouldnÆt have guessed that the whole
album isnÆt fresh from the studio this year. The new band line up is represented
in a beautifully re-worked version of æDifferent DrugÆ. Listening to æRed Clay
HillÆ, first released in the 2015 album æ the End of the Golden AgeÆ, I love
that this is red clay dirt from Scottish roots, producing some of the best
Americana music out there. The opening track, æLow Country ComedownÆ, taken
from the 2013 album æThe Long HaulÆ, is simply a classic which I instantly put
on repeat play.
For me, the standout track on æAfter All These YearsÆ is æOdessaÆ û probably the
slowest tempo on the album, which serves to highlight the beautifully crafted
lyrics and the heart-pulling guitar sounds from Sloan and Benzie. æOdessaÆ is
followed by another slow-burner, æ11.15Æ, from the MarshalsÆ debut EP, which
builds into a percussion-filled, glorious chorus. These two tracks span the full
ten years of the MarshalsÆ history û bookends of an amazing journey.
This is music that æjust feels rightÆ. It is timeless. Exceptionally
well-crafted songs with perfect narratives, brought to life with guitar,
keyboard and percussion that perfectly complement the songs. And of course, Iain
SloanÆs signature pedal steel and guitar are there throughout, providing a
cohesive sound and identity.
æAfter All These YearsÆ is a glorious retrospective from a band that deserves
much more recognition than they currently have. The previously unreleased tracks
offer proof that the Marshals are still going strong and their journey is far
from finished, with the album leaving me eager for more and excited to hear the
bandÆs future direction.