MP3 The Starlings - Songbook

âOrganic country...both delicate and edgy...For the lo-fi country enthusiast...a winning combination" â Maverick Magazine

13 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Americana, COUNTRY: Country Folk



Details:
"The Starlings vocal harmonies, acoustic goodness and sweet blend of folk and country set the stage for the band's storied original songwriting and the compelling presence of vocalist Joy Mills.â -KEXP.org, 90.3 FM

â...melodies galore, choruses you can sing and a great vibe throughout...an excellent album.â - Americana UK

âOrganic country...both delicate and edgy...For the lo-fi country enthusiast, the Starlingsâ natural charm and raw potential, like the Starlings themselves, are a winning combination. Highly recommended.â â Maverick Magazine

âThe Starlings hark back to an earlier, simpler time, when folks gathered on front porches with mandolins and harmonicas, singing away the day in dusty twilight. That simple beauty pervades the bandâs stellar debut album, âSongbook,â and that easygoing camaraderie personifies the Starlingsâ live performances, which find them equally at home playing barnburners and ballads and have made them favorites among Seattleâs twang community.â - Portland Tribune

"...a band buoyed by shimmering vocalist Joy Mills."
-Seattle P.I.

â...fresh and full of brio...(Joy) Mills, one of the best songwriters in the Northwest (or anywhere)...an excellent, vital record.â â Victory Review

"...expertly blends folk and country, displaying top-notch musicianship at every turn...a nice mix of front-porch foot stomping and back-room balladry." - Muses Muse

"Seattle roots-country outfit releases authentic, inventive debut...a classic sound â good playing by all in the service of first-rate songs." - CDReviews.com

"The nucleus of this folksy, bluegrass infused Americana combo is the duo of Joy Mills (guitar, mandolin) and Tom Parker (guitar, harmonica). The engaging Mills sounds a bit like Kelly Willis on a folk binge, while Parkers plaintive, mellow voice warms the many harmonies with a most pleasing effect. The supporting players tastefully add Dobro, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, etc., keeping a lively feel throughout. Songbook offers 12 earnest and organic original tunes - most of which penned by Mills - and a straight version of the classic "Long Black Veil", on which the two duet. Capturing the ageless quality of The Carter Family, as in the two Parker penned duets, "Working Man Blues" and "Acorn", The Starlings clearly have a deep appreciation for the classics but are by no means a retro act. Simply a terrific one. - Miles Of Music

Exploring the deep roots and modern flavors of Americana roots, folk and country, the Starlings are known for their dynamic performances and outstanding musicianship. On their debut album, "Songbook," the striking harmonies of Joy Mills and Tom Parker (formerly an acoustic duo), can turn from rustic and haunting in one song to sweet and wistful in the next, with lyrics that are all at once elusive and accessible. Through fiery leads on mandolin and guitar, wailing blues harmonica, plaintive lines on the dobro, and the solid pulse of the rhythm section â the Starlings are quickly building their name on the forces of their songwriting and the strength of their musical arrangements. From foot-stomping barn burners to the arresting quiet of a haunting ballad, their sound evokes ghost towns, trains, back roads, front porches, and wandering souls. The Starlings have a presence and sound that remain long after the show is over. With one eye to the keyhole of deeper meaning, they remain dynamic in nature and happy to take the road less traveled.