THE TILLERS
2018 - Sofaburn Records
It's been five long years since the previous Tillers album release, 'Hand on the plow,' a recording so good that it made my 'Albums of the year 2013' list. This self titled new release is their fifth full length studio recording, plus one live album, and confirms my thoughts that they must be not only one of the most consistent recording bands around but also one of the best.
If I was into 'succinct' (perish the thought!) I would describe their music as 'old timey' driven by a modern punked up edginess, perhaps two lots of roots? I don't think so; listen to some of the recordings made by the stringbands of old and it becomes obvious that it was that combination that originally formed the old 'hillbilly' music. Listen to some of those old 1920s recordings by a whole range of artists including the likes of someone such as Charlie Poole and you can't help but think many of them had a modern punk attitude, which in many ways it was. They were highly skilled but untutored, learnt through experience and over time rather than any formal training. Much of that attitude is echoed in the Tillers work, with the often raw vocals being at the same time melodic and always evocative, with the fiery playing that they have developed into their own unique style rather than having someone else's style drummed into them
The lineup consists of singer, songwriter, guitarist Sean Geil, Mike Oberst is on banjo and vocals, Aaron Geil on bass and the newest edition is Joe Macheret on fiddle who gives their music a fuller sound and more flexibility. Sadly, the original bassist, Jason Soudrette, passed away from Leukaemia just over four years ago but when leaving the band handed the bass reins to the more than capable hands of Sean's brother, Aaron. Of the ten songs on the album, nine are band originals plus there is an excellent cover of Woody Guthrie's All You Fascists Are Bound To Lose, a song for which Mike Oberst wrote two additional verses bringing this 'classic' right up to date. Everything about the bands performance is excellent, from the evocative vocals, beautifully blended harmonies, expert playing and perhaps more importantly, the feel they have for not only the songs they sing and play but their completely natural style that is deep and true. The addition of Joe Macheret on fiddle has certainly added to The Tillers stylistic pallet, helping to create a broader spectrum of sounds and adding colour and further depths of atmosphere to their excellent songs whilst staying true to their musical roots.
Tempos and themes are varied throughout this excellent album that gets underway with a forceful fiddle and banjo start on Weald and the wild leading the excellent lead vocal in with throbbing bass laying the foundation on a song that has a distinct Irish feel. Like a hole in my head is another song that has a traditional Irish folksy feel, although perhaps nearer to the punked up folksiness of London Irish band the Pogues, with fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass on an excellent mid tempo song that has a catchy melody and a powerful 'good time' dynamic. On The old general store is burning down there is a gentle acoustic guitar intro with an excellent lead vocal that is eventually joined by the atmospheric fiddle on a song that has a powerful 'high lonesome' feel and includes what sounds like a penny whistle. There are some very good harmonies on the chorus of this gentle ballad that has the powerful warm homeliness of 'parlour music' in its makeup, something that is often missing from the music made by bands who make music by rote rather than emulating The Tillers by having a 'feel' for the music that is as much part of their DNA as musical genre! The guitar intro is joined by fiddle and bass on All you fascists are bound to lose, a song that has an excellent 'hoedown' atmosphere with the evocative lead vocal and shouted harmonies. They are aided by the propulsive fiddle and banjo that keep the fire and intensity going on this Woody Guthrie penned song. Final mention is of Riverboat dishwashing song with its much more sedate fiddle and banjo intro that is soon joined by bass and guitar, even at one stage including piano. There is an evocative lead and harmony vocal on this song that is easily imagined as being a waltz inserted at the 'hoedown' to slow things down for a while so that the dancers can gather themselves for the next onslaught!
The Tillers don't seem to be terribly well known in the U.K but with albums of the supreme quality of this self titled collection and their peerless back catalogue I can't imagine that is a state of affairs that will last much longer. This is another tremendous album by a talented band that is up there with the Old Crow Medicine Show as the pace setters in the modern day string band quality stakes and long may they continue!
http://the-tillers.com/home/
It's been five long years since the previous Tillers album release, 'Hand on the plow,' a recording so good that it made my 'Albums of the year 2013' list. This self titled new release is their fifth full length studio recording, plus one live album, and confirms my thoughts that they must be not only one of the most consistent recording bands around but also one of the best.
If I was into 'succinct' (perish the thought!) I would describe their music as 'old timey' driven by a modern punked up edginess, perhaps two lots of roots? I don't think so; listen to some of the recordings made by the stringbands of old and it becomes obvious that it was that combination that originally formed the old 'hillbilly' music. Listen to some of those old 1920s recordings by a whole range of artists including the likes of someone such as Charlie Poole and you can't help but think many of them had a modern punk attitude, which in many ways it was. They were highly skilled but untutored, learnt through experience and over time rather than any formal training. Much of that attitude is echoed in the Tillers work, with the often raw vocals being at the same time melodic and always evocative, with the fiery playing that they have developed into their own unique style rather than having someone else's style drummed into them
The lineup consists of singer, songwriter, guitarist Sean Geil, Mike Oberst is on banjo and vocals, Aaron Geil on bass and the newest edition is Joe Macheret on fiddle who gives their music a fuller sound and more flexibility. Sadly, the original bassist, Jason Soudrette, passed away from Leukaemia just over four years ago but when leaving the band handed the bass reins to the more than capable hands of Sean's brother, Aaron. Of the ten songs on the album, nine are band originals plus there is an excellent cover of Woody Guthrie's All You Fascists Are Bound To Lose, a song for which Mike Oberst wrote two additional verses bringing this 'classic' right up to date. Everything about the bands performance is excellent, from the evocative vocals, beautifully blended harmonies, expert playing and perhaps more importantly, the feel they have for not only the songs they sing and play but their completely natural style that is deep and true. The addition of Joe Macheret on fiddle has certainly added to The Tillers stylistic pallet, helping to create a broader spectrum of sounds and adding colour and further depths of atmosphere to their excellent songs whilst staying true to their musical roots.
Tempos and themes are varied throughout this excellent album that gets underway with a forceful fiddle and banjo start on Weald and the wild leading the excellent lead vocal in with throbbing bass laying the foundation on a song that has a distinct Irish feel. Like a hole in my head is another song that has a traditional Irish folksy feel, although perhaps nearer to the punked up folksiness of London Irish band the Pogues, with fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass on an excellent mid tempo song that has a catchy melody and a powerful 'good time' dynamic. On The old general store is burning down there is a gentle acoustic guitar intro with an excellent lead vocal that is eventually joined by the atmospheric fiddle on a song that has a powerful 'high lonesome' feel and includes what sounds like a penny whistle. There are some very good harmonies on the chorus of this gentle ballad that has the powerful warm homeliness of 'parlour music' in its makeup, something that is often missing from the music made by bands who make music by rote rather than emulating The Tillers by having a 'feel' for the music that is as much part of their DNA as musical genre! The guitar intro is joined by fiddle and bass on All you fascists are bound to lose, a song that has an excellent 'hoedown' atmosphere with the evocative lead vocal and shouted harmonies. They are aided by the propulsive fiddle and banjo that keep the fire and intensity going on this Woody Guthrie penned song. Final mention is of Riverboat dishwashing song with its much more sedate fiddle and banjo intro that is soon joined by bass and guitar, even at one stage including piano. There is an evocative lead and harmony vocal on this song that is easily imagined as being a waltz inserted at the 'hoedown' to slow things down for a while so that the dancers can gather themselves for the next onslaught!
The Tillers don't seem to be terribly well known in the U.K but with albums of the supreme quality of this self titled collection and their peerless back catalogue I can't imagine that is a state of affairs that will last much longer. This is another tremendous album by a talented band that is up there with the Old Crow Medicine Show as the pace setters in the modern day string band quality stakes and long may they continue!
http://the-tillers.com/home/