Over the past year, there have been a few bands that have made an astonishing impact in my life. Some are fairly new to the music business in terms of worldwide publicity and sales, whilst others have been around for years and still have the unique ability to evoke such powerful emotions and messages through their old and new music.
I might be a London girl, but that doesn't stop me from absolutely loving the music created by two American duos. The duos in question happen to be Jack and White and The Civil Wars.
Jack and White made their debut appearance in my iTunes library very soon after I first heard about them on Brooke White's inspirational personal blog, and now play a pivotal role in my everyday listening habits. I have loved White's distinctive vocals since the days of American Idol Season 7, and have continued to follow her work over the last four years. One of her solo albums, High Hopes & Heartbreak, had been my designated "Road Trip" album for many months, so the prospect of even more new material written in conjunction with another excellent musician instantly caught my attention. The partnership with the extremely talented Jack Matranga seems effortless, making the whole listening experience so welcoming and leaves you feeling as if hitting the repeat button is the best idea you've had in days. Their two EPs, Gemini and Winter are packed with stunning songs which definitely deserve to be heard by the masses.
I have to admit that I find myself in the awkward position in which I'm struggling to pick out my favourite track from the EPs as I sincerely love them all. To make it slightly easier for myself, I am going to choose my top 3 songs instead. On second thoughts, that is still too hard for me. I hope this shows you how highly I regard this music duo. If I had to make a fast decision, Inside Outside and XYZ could be the chosen favourites, but don't quote me on that one, it's too close to call. Jack and White are currently back in the studio recording an EP dedicated to cover songs. With some luck, their superb cover of Dreams by Fleetwood Mac will make a welcome appearance on the track listing.
The Civil Wars just make me smile. Uncontrollably. I have often found myself in the situation where I'll be listening to their flawless music through my earphones and someone close to me will ask to know the reason why I am smiling. I really can't help it. When you find an artist or a group that can cultivate a sound that is so pure whilst having the refreshing ability to unearth just the right amount of grit at the same time, you know you have found yourselves a winner. Pairing Joy Williams and John Paul White together truly is a match made in Heaven. Everyone always seems to talk about their heartfelt onstage chemistry and I can absolutely see how their genuine real-life friendship has helped to make them such a roaring success in such a short amount of time. I bought a copy of their debut album, Barton Hollow, whilst I was on holiday in California in the summer of 2011, and am so glad that I did.
On a scale of 1 to 10, their likeability factor is, without a doubt, a 10. Their songwriting capabilities reach further than any other fairly new group that I can name. Their sound is exquisite and the pair unequivocally deserve winning their first Grammy Awards last month. 20 Years from their album, Barton Hollow, is an easy favourite of mine and will be for a very long time to come. The only regret I have is that I didn't manage to buy tickets to their London show at Shepherd's Bush Empire on March 19th before it sold out. I am seriously kicking myself right now.
These sensational music duos have helped to highlight the way music should be created. Sometimes good, honest music wins the fight against the flamboyant music giants that are all too common in this day and age. These duos are destined for great things, and I am so happy that we are able to watch their future musical journeys unfold.
