Birmingham based Americana duo The Matchcoats are set to release their debut album Thoughts of Home, due out April 17th. Musicians on the album are Gabriel N. Akins, aka Bumpingums, on guitar and vocals; Sarah Greene on vocals; Carter Laney on fiddle, upright bass, banjo, slide guitar on “Thoughts of Home,” and vocals on “Part of Me Still Lives in Georgia”; Chris Griffin on slide guitar; and Stephen Collins on cello. The record was recorded live in Birmingham, AL at Carter Laney’s studio; engineered by Carter Laney; mixed by Justin Cross; and mastered by Nicholas T. Peterson at Track and Feild Recording. The cover art is by Madie Bryson.
The 12-track album opens up with “Coming Up” and sets up an authentic old-timey vibe, while “Already But Not Yet” attracts listeners even further with the sway of the fiddle escorting them into another dimension, following the footsteps of the writer. The early released single, “Little Ginger,” is another spine tingling number.
The title track, “Thoughts of Home,” is rich with Greene’s beautiful harmonies supported by Akins’ fingerpicking and vocals. The infectious “Being Put Aside” draws influences from blues giants like Mississippi John Hurt. An ode to coming of age, “A Prayer For Growing Up,” is a true peak in the album, as an exemplary sample of storytelling.
“Part of Me Still Lives in Georgia,” is a song by Akins’ late father-in-law and, as sung by his daughter Sarah Greene, is especially touching.
The atmosphere of the album showcases the band’s influences through each track as it explores the progression from old-timey blues, to bluegrass to folk, along with their compelling stories.
Thoughts of Home is an ode to heirloom sounds of the past that The Matchcoats have delivered to the present. http://www.thematchcoats.com/