Quite a lot of the quality music coming out of Scotland these days seems to have strong folk/Americana (The Scuffers, Vivien Scotson etc) influences and this 9 track album from the Porch Song Anthology is no exception.
The differentiator here is the strong sense of atmosphere present on all the tracks. For example, "Hang Me Good" reminds BluesBunny of the work of film composers like the De Angelis brothers or Stelvio Cipriani. The piano driven "A Tale of Love & a Tale of Hate" is (almost) a lullaby. "Rest and Be Thankful" would sit nicely in the Van Morrison songbook. Standout track is the buoyant, sing-along "I Belong to Jesus". The melancholy "Ask the Dust" rounds off the album on a note of discord.
Sometimes you listen to an album and it just drifts by you. It is only on the second listen that you begin to appreciate what you are hearing. That was the case with this album. The haunting melodies, intelligent lyrics, quality musicianship and Rachel Devine's vocals make this the soundtrack to the spaghetti western playing in the cinema in your head. A recommended purchase. It really does grow on you.