If traditional bluegrass fans want a fresh take on the familiar, they’ll pick up Liver Down the River’s latest EP.
Comprised of six Fort Lewis College students, the band is making a big leap into the music industry Tuesday with the release of its debut five-song, self-titled EP.
Since forming in 2013, Liver Down the River has been playing for audiences here and beyond, booking shows this summer in Carbondale, Boulder, Taos and Albuquerque, and Sept. 11 in Durango. That’s no small feat for any band, and they can probably attribute this early success to their unique newgrass sound, combining bluegrass with rock, jam and funk.
The two-year-old band recorded the EP at the legendary Akashic Recording Studio, hidden in the mountains of Boulder, where many notable artists like The String Cheese Incident have also recorded, It’s been one of the most exciting moments for the young band.
“It’s a really neat place to record. We couldn’t be happier to have recorded there and couldn’t be happier with the sound quality. An absolutely good experience. We had a great time,” said Tyler Rice, who plays banjo and provides vocals. “We are proud of the fact that we have a sound that is unique.”
The most fast-paced, upbeat song on the album is “Shot O’ Booze.” Written by Rice and Emily Aguirre-Winter, the song explores struggling with emotions connected to heartbreak and quelling them with alcohol. But if you don’t listen to the lyrics, you wouldn’t think it’s a sad song. There’s a shout-and-call duet during the chorus between Rice and vocalist Aguirre-Winter, a compelling combination that works well.
The song “Murder Ballad” is quite a contrast from “Shot O’ Booze.” Written by Aguirre-Winter, it starts slow, but evolves into a fast-paced tune by the end, all while showcasing Aquirre-Winter’s soulful vocals.
Everybody seems to have knack for songwriting in this band and each plays a part in the process. Ranging in ages from 20 to 25, they’ve had interesting experiences and have lived to tell about them. In “Coming Home,” Granzow sings about his adventures with cocaine and alcohol and driving 60 miles barely between the lines returning to his dorm at FLC, feeling lucky to be alive and not in jail when he arrived.
Liver Down the River’s songs aren’t all storytelling, with instrumentals like the celtic song “Irish” providing a strong fiddle presence.
Liver Down the River has succeeded in putting its own stamp on traditional bluegrass conventions. “With the original (songs), we wanted to utilize the style of bluegrass with our own ideas rather than write new bluegrass. There’s a lot of stuff in traditional (bluegrass) that is very strict that everybody wants to hear, but you can also take different keys and changes that people might not expect in the traditional sound and it still works, so that’s what we were trying to do,” said Matt Granzow, who plays guitar and sings.
Regardless, there’s a lot to love about Liver Down the River, a nice reminder of the musicianship we have representing Durango.
mhayden@durangoherald.com
On the Net
For tour information or to buy the new Liver Down the River EP, visit www.livertheriver.com. The album can also be found on iTunes and Spotify. Or listen to the album on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/liverdowntheriver/sets/liver-down-the-river-ep
