The Wynntown Marshals - Westerner (2013)

Tracklist

01. You Can Have My Heart
02. Ballad of Jayne
03. Snowflake
04. Thunder in the Valley
05. El Prado
06. Hours
07. Gil
08. All That I Want
09. Nelly
10. Divine Compassion
11. Two's Company


The Wynntown Marshals were formed in Edinburgh in 2007. Tipping their hat to artists like The Jayhawks, Wilco, Drive By Truckers, Ryan Adams and Neil Young, The Wynntown Marshals' sound can loosely be described as `country rock', although the power pop hooks of `Two's Company' and the Stonesy swagger of `You Can Have My Heart' convey the band's love of guitars, their way with a catchy chorus and their unabashed belief in the power of rock music as a storytelling medium. - Amazon

I get a real buzz when I get to listen to British band who've soaked up the influences of American roots music and formed into something that maintains that vibe but with a distinct UK side too.
"Westerner" is the debut album from The Wynntown Marshals. The first listen got me hooked into this one, given the style and the bands origin.
Formed in Edinburgh in 2007, it's hard not to draw comparisons and this is another great album of Scottish Americana right up there with the excellent "Buffalo Mansions" by Southpaw and "Attraction Versus Love" - Endrick Brothers.
"Westerner" is a wonderful set of guitar-rich, melodic numbers, blended with steel and keys to create a superb debut.
Ten originals and a stellar cover of L.A. Guns' "Ballad of Jayne" - released as a single and getting radio play and plaudits from Bob Harris, - the band have honed their skills playing support slots for Jason and the Scorchers, Chuck Prophet and Richmond Fontaine and pulled in an experienced hand to handle production - Graham Deas, who's previously worked for both KT Tunstall and Super Furry Animals.
Keith Benzie (lead vocals / guitar / harmonica) is the band's main songwriter and his words are brought to life by Keith Jones (drums, vocals, percussion), Iain Sloan (pedal steel, guitars, vocals), Iain Barbour (lead and baritone guitars), Murdo MacLeod (bass, vocals), with additional vocals from Leigh Benzie and keys by Ali Petrie.
There are plenty of highlights on the album - whether it's the opener which eases you in and sets the mood just right with a classic mid-tempo country-rock sound ("You Can Have My Heart"); "Snowflake" - a contemplative number inspired by the world’s only albino gorilla; the biographical song "Gil" about American pin-up artist Gil Elvgren; or the cover ("Ballad of Jayne"), which is already a firm favourite.
The band are equally confident with the album's darker moments ("Divine Compassion") as they are with tracks like the pedal steel-laden shuffle "Nelly" or the instrumental "el Prado".

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