The Civil Wars

After endlessly streaming this album over a week, I can safely say that I love this album just as much as Barton Hollow. I agree with the previous reviewer that The Civil Wars is definitely an album that compliments Barton Hollow rather than trying to outdo it. The artists are clearly trying to push a few new boundaries, yet still stay in their (and our) comfort zone. Saying that, it's still a departure from the easy harmonious vocals of Barton Hollow and, while still blending beautifully vocally, this sophomore album reflects the strife between both artists. It's amazing to me that even while at odds, Joy and John Paul still manage to complement each other in every song and make beautiful music together - almost unwillingly. 1) The One That Got Away - This is first single they streamed from this album, and my initial reaction was that I wouldn't like this song since it's different from their previously playful acoustic work, but with repeated listens, I love this song. From the soft, ominous instrumental buildup at the beginning to the angry back and forth between Joy and John Paul, this song is essentially an introduction to the overall feel of the album. Yes, folks. There is a battle going on in the land of The Civil Wars. 2) I Had Me a Girl - This song is rock and roll sexy! John Paul flexes his vocals in this one. There's chaos in this song and the guitar riffing is strong. If "I've Got This Friend" from Barton Hollow was about a kindergarten crush, "I Had Me a Girl" is the sexy one-night stand version of it. 3) Same Old Same Old - I can't help but feel sad listening to this song. The sense of longing and weariness is overwhelming. You feel tired but you want to stay, you'll miss it but you have to go. Joy keeps saying that if you want to know what happened to the band, listen to the album. And the sense I keep getting is that they want to stay together but can't. But it also doesn't mean they value what they have/had any less. 4) Dust to Dust - Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust...is this a goodbye song? If Same Old Same Old made me feel sad, this one makes me feel wistful in remembrance of what was. I feel that this song talks about the loneliness that set in while Joy and John Paul were on the road - specifically John Paul. It must have been hard for him to see a happily married couple day after day while his wife and kids were at home. The sense of loneliness he felt must have been overwhelming and Joy, being on the same wavelength, seems to have felt it too. Being on stage and creating a sense of intimacy with a musical partner gets harder and harder to do when you're not with your loved ones. 5) Eavesdrop - Hands down my favorite song on the album. Not acoustic, but any instrument added has a perfect purpose. Such a beautiful love song. The message - "I'm tired of arguing. Let's just hold each other and enjoy this moment together - who cares what other people say?" One thing I've learned about The Civil Wars is that their lyrics are multi-faceted. While this applies to any couple who are always in conflict, it can also apply to them as a band. "Don't say that it's over. Let's just enjoy the moment. Who says that this has to end?" This song gives me some hope that this may not be the end for them. 6) Devil's Backbone - Another departure of their usual soft sounds, this is a wailing, angry anthem of self-blame. If Joy wants to squelch speculation of something going on between her and John Paul, this song doesn't help. Strong guitars and Joy's vocals carry this one. I will admit that I got chills listening to this as a video intro to their album promotion video ;-) 7) From This Valley - I've loved this song forever. After seeing them perform this on YouTube, this song has an uplifting feeling and their perfectly matched vocals are awesome on this song. A great, fun song. I hope they get back to that. 8) Tell Mama - I will have to admit. This song makes me sleepy lol. This song is this album's "I Want You Back". They take an upbeat song and totally make it their own. The singing is soft, dark and beautiful. But I'm still sleepy ;-) 9) Oh Henry - This is a happy song that they performed live on the road for quite some time. It's a knee-slapping fun song. It definitely has a folksy feel to it and gives a welcome break from the sometimes somber feel of the other songs of the album. 10) Disarm - I'm torn about this one. I love the Smashing Pumpkins' original "Disarm", and The Civil Wars have turned it into a beautiful lullaby. I am glad they put this on tape though. It just showcases how perfectly Joy and John Paul are able to harmonize. My husband, a hardcore SP lover, isn't much of a fan though ;-) 11) Sacred Heart - Another favorite song on this album. I know ZERO French. But it's a beautiful language, and this is an equally beautiful song. I know I'm saying beautiful a lot but hey - I'm calling it as I sees it :-) It reflects sad longing with soft guitar strumming in the background. Awesome. 12) D'Arline - This is a raw cut of a song they recorded on Joy's iPhone. If you read the lyrics, they're quite romantic. Even with this rough draft, it's apparent that these two have more talent in their pinky fingers than many artists out there who rely on auto-tune and over-production. Like the song itself, let's hope that this song is deliberately placed as a last song to convey the message that they are a rough draft as well and we can look forward to a final masterpiece. If you're looking for a Barton Hollow 2, you won't find it here, though there is some similarity. Whether or not The Civil Wars come together again to make a 3rd album is anyone's guess. However, I will follow "Eavesdrop" `s message and enjoy the music that we have been given in the here and now. Thank you, The Civil Wars!!

Standing in the shadow of Barton Hollow and a reputation for matchless live performances, The Civil Wars have made this a difficult album to review. Without a doubt, Barton Hollow stirred a furor in fans of TCW, and the industry, as rapid as its rise to popularity and critical praise. To watch TCW live for many of us was to relive moments that hang endlessly in time, moments that cease to be only memories but a part of us that stirs back to the moment as if it were present. Listening to Barton Hollow and watching TCW perform live to me was to be a part of an experience. Like laying on beachside under the stars, breathing salty air, feeling the mist of the ocean lightly spraying, hearing the rustle of thistle grass, experiencing the smell of the sand mixing into the ocean, the breeze raising the hairs on your arm---the purity of experiencing these moments, knowing that they can never be relived quite the same as they are in that fleeting second, but also knowing that pure moment would be ingrained to relive and compare every subsequent star filled sky---these are the feelings Barton Hollow and a live TCW experience conjured in me, with Barton Hollow still conjuring those moments with each listen. It is due to that that this album is difficult to rate. Sonically, musically, it is beautiful, in my opinion worthy of another Grammy. Emotionally, in light of what Barton Hollow was, it stands overshadowed. Many fans of TCW ache at the thought of the fleeting moment of their unique partnership, a Big Bang of sorts, coming to termination. It seems obvious that ache isn't something the fans alone share. It is easy to hear it on this album. There's a longing for rebuilding, for forgiveness, but a pensiveness about approaching it. Distraction abounds---John Paul's voice carrying with it a tenor of distance over the all-in presence of before, a sort of dutiful involvement, seemingly with only enough strength for the guitar; Joy seems to be reaching for the coy playfulness and elation from Barton Hollow, sacrificing emotion for volume. Tension behind the scenes is palpable. It is obvious that both attempt to reach backward in their own way for the past, John Paul with energy poured into the guitar, Joy raising her voice in hope the feelings follow, yet a gap remains in that reaching. I can't help but compare it to Barton Hollow in the same way I'd compare the same beautiful night experienced laying oceanside to one experienced driving in a car; both carry a beauty, but only can be experienced. Yet, despite this, for those whose experience with TCW is more casual, for those hearing them for the first time, there is no sense of tension, no sense of longing or heaviness in the music for what was, no sense of fulfilling obligation. Instead, there is real, focused, beautiful music to be hear. This album, its strong tones of "what if?", is something everyone can relate to. These lyrics can cull emotions, memories, tears, reflection for anyone, even if the experience of TCW cannot stir with this album the same way it could with Barton Hollow. It is still an album that is strong, that is relatable, that will constantly be part of my rotation. TCW should be proud of this album. Despite their professional and personal turmoil, they have produced something beautiful. It is only my hope that out of that pride and an obvious desire to reach for what once was, TCW is able to reconcile and rekindle the unique gift they have together. If not, this album, like Barton Hollow, is a gift I am thankful for.

à découvrir absolument. Beaucoup mieux que l'album live. Les voix des chanteurs s’harmonisent très bien. Un album très agréable à écouter encore et encore. moins noior que leur précédent.

The second album from The Civil Wars, a Nashville duo composed of John Paul White and Joy Williams, is one of the best music releases of 2013 in my opinion. I have owned their first album, Barton Hollow, since 2011 and I love their music. It is a blend of country and Americana with a unique twist. The first album is quite different to this second album: there is a darker, more melancholic sound here. My favourite songs on this album are "The One that Got Away" (listening for the first time gave me goosebumps) and, in complete contrast, the cheerful "From This Valley". Most of the songs are dark and haunting, with lyrics which tell of lost love and troubled minds. As other people have commented, Joy's vocals feature more heavily on this album than they do in the Barton Hollow tracks. I think Joy Williams is a fantastic vocal artist but I like the Barton Hollow tracks where they both sing and it is like they are having a conversation with each other in the lyrics. One of the reasons why I like The Civil Wars's music so much is because they put so much emotion into it. It is raw and real and beautiful. I hope very much that Joy and John can resolve the problems between them. Otherwise, it is a big loss for the Americana music scene. I would love to see them play live. From watching their videos on YouTube, they have an amazing chemistry between them. Let's hope they reconcile their differences and get back to making music together. In the meantime, enjoy this stunning album!

デビュー作「Barton Hollow」は発売当初それほど注目されませんでしたが、JoyとJohnの二人での地道なライヴが実を結び、1年半をかけてゴールド・アルバムを獲得しました。また、映画「The Hunger Games」のサントラでTaylor Swiftと共作、共演した「Safe & Sound」が大ヒット、アカデミー賞授賞式で歌うチャンスも得ました。時間をかけて全国区のミュージシャンになってきた彼らですが、昨年秋には“見解の不一致”を理由にツアーを途中でキャンセル、今年になってJoyが妊娠との情報も入ってきて、“セカンドは当分お預けか･･･”と思っていたら、6月に新譜発表を知り、リリースを待ち焦がれていました。そして、ものの見事に期待に応えてくれる新作に仕上がっています。 アコースティック色が濃かったデビュー作に比べて、今回はアレンジ・演奏が多彩。肝心の二人の歌声とハーモニーは、ライヴを通じて更に磨きがかかったようで、随所に心に響く歌を聴かせてくれます。第一弾シングルの1「The One That Got Away」、スケールの大きな作りですが彼ら独特の繊細さも備え合わせた佳作。2「I Had Me a Girl」、とにかく重い。ザラザラでハードな作りなるも、よく聴けばJohnのアコGがサウンドの核。5「Eavesdrop」、抒情的なAメロから中盤以降のロック的な盛り上がりまで、すべてにおいて美しい。6「Devil's Backbone」は静と動の見事なダイナズムが素晴らしい。Johnのかき鳴らしGのグルーヴが良い9に続いて、10「Disarm」はThe Smashing Pumpkinsの出世作「Siamese Dream」からの１曲。原曲とは相当違うソフトなイメージ。たとえば「Billie Jean」のように、確信犯的にThe Civil Warsサウンドにしてしまう彼らです、歌詞を読みながら聴くと、これもありかな、と思ってしまいますね。ラストの曲は、Joyの家のポーチでiPhoneを使って録音したとのクレジット。二人の歌と演奏が妙に生々しくて、後を引きます。 ジャケにもインナーにも二人の写真は一切なし。意図はわかりません。見解の相違がまだあるとしたら、それを乗り越えてまたステージに戻ってくれる日が早く来ることを、心から願っています。

Beautiful, a reference recording must have

Interessante CD, ich war überrascht, aber es kommt natürlich immer auf den persönlichen Geschmack an. Trotzdem, hören lohnt sich ( für mich ).