The result of that connection is this ode to the folk songs that begat country and other styles in which stories and a conveying of feeling is paramount.
That the pair successfully do this is testament not only to their strong instrumental techniques, but an instinct for close vocal harmonies that’d likely ring just as true in the Appalachian mountains.
Recorded by Tom Bell at his Port Chalmers studio (formerly Chick’s Hotel) using just one microphone, this home-spun, honest collection of traditional songs gleaned on the duo’s travels reeks of rosin and moonshine.
• Flora Knight & Sean Donald. Self-titled. Independent.
• ★★★★ (out of five)
Single download: Horseshoe Bend
For those who like: The Louvin Brothers
— Shane Gilchrist
