WYNNTOWN MARSHALLS - Long Haul

Country music is such a broad church. The styles range from bluegrass to pop, from the sentimental to Americana.
Our next new release is from a well established, and highly acclaimed quartet from Edinburgh called THE WYNNTOWN MARSHALLS.   The band features Keith Benzie, Iain Sloane, Murdoch MacLeod and Kenny McCabe.  I’m willing to bet that many readers haven’t heard of them, and others may only recall them opening for Marty Stuart at Celtic Connections a few years back.  But that sums up the diversity of Country music in Scotland.
Their new album, “The Long Haul” was recorded in Edinburgh, and is the follow up to “Westerner”, which, apparently, was regarded as one of the best European Americana releases ever.
If you enjoy the likes of The Eagles then these guys are worth giving a listen to.  There’s a clear Eagles sound, but they’re much more than that too.
The album kicks off with a couple of driving country rock numbers in “Driveaway” and “Canada!”, before one of my favourite tracks “Low Country Comedown”. It features some great harmonies, and is inspired by their regular visits to the continent.
I also enjoyed “The Submariner”, a neat story song about a modern day Captain Nemo. The number includes some really neat steel featured on this track. It’s probably the most Country track on the album.
There’s also some nice steel guitar evident in “North Atlantic Soul”, a strong song vocally, which may just be the track that will attract radio play.
“Crashing” (Like The Reds)” has a very strong Eagles sound, with lush harmonies and instrumentation.
“Whatever It Takes” and “Curtain Call” are quite slow numbers, as is the album’s closing number “Change Of Heart” , which features some nice harmonies from Diane  Christiansen from Chicago based group Dolly Varden.
It rounds off a very interesting and pleasant album.
Check them out at www.thewynntownmarshalls.com