The Montvales Path of Totality
Produced by Eli LoPinto (Chris Stapleton, Emily Nenni) and released on Free Dirt Records, Path of Totality finds Cincinnati‑based duo The Montvales — Sally Buice and Molly Rochelson — in superb form. Recorded with engineer/mixer Jesse Noah Wilson and mastered by Kevin Butler, the album benefits from sensitive, spacious production and beautifully considered arrangements. The artwork by Dianna Settles and photography by Emily Danielle Jones complete a project in which every contributor feels thoughtfully aligned with the duo’s vision.
From the opening track, it’s clear this is a fine album. It caught me immediately: an Americana foundation with a distinctly country sensibility, elevated by exceptional singing and harmonies. With each listen, the production reveals new layers — banjo lines tucked beneath pedal steel, piano motifs weaving in and out, and harmonies so close they feel almost physical. At times, the warmth and intimacy brought me back to Nanci Griffith’s Last of the True Believers, not as imitation but as a shared spirit of craft and emotional clarity.
A Confident, Expansive Sound
While the record is rooted in folk and country traditions, The Montvales aren’t afraid to stretch beyond them. “Cincinnati” closes with a reverby piano coda that feels more Scandinavian dream‑folk than Nashville. The introduction to “Hellbent on Colorado” similarly hints at a broader indie palette before settling into its Americana stride. These choices never distract; instead, they broaden the emotional landscape of the album.
Vocally, Buice and Rochelson are outstanding. At first, I sensed a touch of the Indigo Girls in their blend, but it quickly becomes clear that they have their own unmistakable sound. The musicianship throughout — from the core duo to the supporting players — is consistently top‑notch.
Stories Told with Poise and Precision
Lyrically, Path of Totality is rich with small poems and lived‑in stories. The album was conceived during the duo’s surreal 2024 U.S. tour during the solar eclipse, and the “path of totality” becomes both a literal and metaphorical thread: a meditation on political unrest, community resistance, spirituality, and personal transformation. Characters emerge vividly — a woman fighting a gas pipeline in “Plains of Ohio,” a grandmother travelling to Yugoslavia in “Our Lady,” a rebellious Bible College student in “Loud and Clear.”
As a songwriter myself, I found much to admire. The opening verses of “Cincinnati,” for example, read like a short story in miniature:
Summer hit like a crash of lightning
A check engine light on
A good time to go
Sally’s out west
Crying in the bathroom
Underneath a full moon
At her first rodeo
And the words don’t come reliably
Like so much I can’t control
Call if you need me
I’ll be laying low in Cincinnati
Trying to let the good times roll
It’s evocative, cinematic writing — emotionally direct yet layered with nuance.
Standout Moments
My personal favourites shift with each listen — a sign of the album’s consistency — but “Runaway Horse,” “Hellbent on Colorado,” and “Cincinnati” have been particular highlights. Ask me tomorrow and I’ll likely name three others.
Final Thoughts
Path of Totality is The Montvales’ most expansive and politically engaged work to date, and it’s my album of the year so far. Fans of Courtney Marie Andrews, Jason Isbell, and contemporary Americana storytelling will find much to love here. It’s a record that rewards attention, invites reflection, and lingers long after the final note.
Get your copy here: https://www.themontvales.com/about
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Video Premiere: The Montvales “Through the Night”
All songs were written by Molly Rochelson & Sally Buice. Musicians on the album are Sally Buice on vocals and banjo; Molly Rochelson on vocals and guitar; Mike Eli LoPinto on guitar and banjo; Mary Meyer on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo and harmonies; Aaron Goodrich on drums; Eddy Dunlap on pedal steel; and Jesse Noah Wilson on bass and keys