Acoustic Syndicate is a band that I found out about in recent weeks through some of their live music hosted on Archive.org. The group formed in North Carolina in 1992, playing a mix of rock, folk, and bluegrass. I also know that they’re releasing some new music soon for the first time since 2013, so I figured I ought to check out a studio album of theirs. With that said, I’m going to go ahead and jump on into the music.
“Sunlight Falls” starts out with a flavorful mixture of bass, banjo, and guitar with an upbeat feeling that hooks you in right away. I really dig the sound so far. Oh wow, the fiddle comes in with some sweetness that balances the earthy flavors of the banjo quite nicely. There’s a really interesting syncopated feel with the banjo in relation to the rest of the instrumentation that keeps me listening closer and closer. Great track and I’m excited to hear more.
“Crazy Town” has a really interesting feel that sounds both southern and exotic of a European variety with what sounds to be an accordion blending with the banjo, bass, and guitar. I really dig the continual plucking of the banjo that seems to act as a guide down the river of music that the rest of the band provides to the listener. Oh wow, this solo/jam led by the banjo is super groovy. The overall sound reminds me of a blend of rock outfits from around the year 2000 mixed with a heaping helping of bluegrass, and I’m digging the result. Great tune.
“Carnival” starts out with some mellow guitar flavors and a rhythm that reminds me a bit of Widespread Panic. Oh wow, I’m really digging the track so far. Oh wow, the movement near the end of the song gets even more laid back and amplifies the festivity in the track a ton, leading to a sound that feels right at home during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Oh wow, I really dig the saxophone at the end of the track as well. Great track.
Oh wow, “Why Not” has a really groovy flavor that feels like a mixture of bluegrass and an epic singer/songwriter folksy tune. Oh wow, this extended jamming with the banjo is super groovy. Wow, great track, I really got into the jams on this one.
“Billy the Kid” starts out with a classic country folk sort of sound with bluegrass flavors created by the mixture of the banjo, fiddle, strong backbeat, and the twangy vocals. Oh wow, the guitar comes in for some really groovy and twangy soloing, and somehow hooks me further into the song. I’m sort of reminded a bit of Earth Opera, an early group from David Grisman and Peter Rowan. Wow, this song is super groovy. Great track.
Holy smokes, “Dancing the Requiem” starts out with some jazz-like flavors with the bass guitar and acoustic guitar, and seems to gradually pick up some bluegrass flavors along the way with the banjo. I’m really digging the soloing from the acoustic guitar in this track. In all honesty this track sounds like a jazz band went on stage to play a number with bluegrass instruments, and I’m really digging the result. Oh wow, the banjo is taking a twangy solo now while the bass walks up and down in the backdrop of the soundscape. Oh wow, the drums also have a bit of a jazz-swing to them that is especially noticeable when all of the instruments but the bass guitar drop away for a moment. The band almost even seems to get into a bit of a psychedelic acoustic jam near the end of the track as well. Super sweet instrumental tune.
Oh wow, “Pumpkin and Daisy” brings a lot of sweetness with an upbeat singer/songwriter tune filled with bluegrass flavors. Oh wow, I really dig the breakdown of the track in the latter half of the tune when the fiddle comes in with a ton of intensity that the rest of the band matches quite nicely. Super sweet tune.
Oh wow, “Brown Mountain Lights” starts out with a ton of flavor with the guitars that immediately hooks me into the song. The earthy licks from the guitar and banjo continually pull me farther into the soundscape. Oh wow, at the start of the guitar solo in the track there’s a lick that reminds me of Jerry Garcia a fair deal, especially his work with David Grisman. I’m really digging this extended jam session with the different instruments trading the lead. Oh wow, the song continues flowing super nicely when the vocals come back on, as though the extended jam session took you far out without going anywhere at all, in a really groovy way. Great track.
“Strike Not Our Brother Down” starts out with a really groovy gentle sound that feels like the musical version of a breeze that has traveled across the south Atlantic coast from New Orleans to Norfolk, with many stops in between. The light flavors in this track are a super pleasant contrast from the earthiness of the previous track, and tie together the album really nicely. Great tune and a great way to end the listening experience of this album.
Wow, I’m definitely looking forward to checking out more from Acoustic Syndicate soon. If you’re into bluegrass and folksy singer/songwriter artists like Billy Strings or anything from the Jerry Garcia & David Grisman duo, you might want to consider checking out this album. Acoustic Syndicate also allow many of their live shows to be streamed from Archive.org, which I think is where I’ll be going after hearing this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A