Tuesday, 22 April 2014

Record Review - The Audreys

Published in The Big Issue, April 17-May 1.

The Audreys
'Til My Tears Roll Away
Universal

Ten years into a robust and justly rewarded career, The Audreys, with album number four, have struck off down a different path. Whilst still adhering to their country/roots/swing origins, the band have seen fit to muddy the sonic waters, to inject some grit and grime – the gloves are off, the band tough, real, dirty and ready for a fight.

Opener, ‘My Darlin’ Girl’, is the first indication things aren’t as they were, a long and slow bluesy number that rumbles with menacing intent, guitars swirling around Taasha Coates’ sultry-yet-gritty vocal. ‘Baby, Are You There’ carries this on, as does ‘Roll Away’, both crunching and angry, real low-down barroom country rock ‘n’ roll.

Things return to the style for which the band are known with songs like ‘Ballad For The Fallen’ (fiddle and Coates’ lilting voice playing a large part); the melancholy ‘Bring The Stars Out; and the acoustic guitar driven ‘Why Must I Wait’, but even these are edged with danger and daring, showing The Audreys are ready to move on – here, they’ve done it with rollicking aplomb.
4/5


Samuel J. Fell


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