#EDAS Album Review: Futurebirds, Baba Yaga

by Justin (@justasstrazdin)

Futurebirds – Baby Yaga

Label: Fat Possum – April 16, 2013

Artist-Fair Shopping: Fat Possum Store

Style: Americanarama, Summer Flannel, Teles and Vintage Amps

Audience: Those Guys with Ten Day Beards and Their Really Cute Girlfriends, Dads at Shows, People Who Know What's inside a Silo

Better Tracks: Serial Bowls, The Doewg

There are numerous benefits to letting your band sound like The Jayhawks in good measure. First, it is a safe position to take, because alt-country Americana always has a niche homestead along the dusty roads of fans' hearts. Second, it might be hard for some critics to argue that your albums are derivative after the next time they sip lemonade on a porch and one of your songs arrives on shuffle. Third, Hollywood Town Hall is a minor masterwork to aspire toward, even with all the Jesus stuff.

So the Futurebirds drop Baby Yaga and the comparison is easy to make. The album is easy to listen to. It is smooth and sunny with wonderful runs of pedal steel whine. It makes you want to start a controlled fire. The arrangements are solid, but rough-hewn when they rock. While this album sounds like it has been done before, not every record needs to experiment, especially with PBR Americana. If there is solid writing backed by a road worn band, then the effort is welcome.

Verdict: Roll up Your Plaid Sleeves and Find Some Mosquitoes to Slap.

Futurebirds - Serial Bowls