THE TWANGTOWN PARAMOURS
The Wind Will Change Again
The Twangtown Paramours are our favourite band name and currently darlings of American folk scene, to the extent that January’s Top 30 US Folk Radio Chart included no less than 10 of their songs. The husband-and-wife duo say this is their first folk album in over 12 years, but it still offers strong taste of country and a flavour of pop, ‘That Thing You Do’ in particular being a lovely slice of retro 70s chart hittery, though they are no strangers to big sellers, with the male half of the duo enjoying the credit for a million seller in South Korea.
Overall, and in keeping with the Country influences, there is a strong theme of break ups and regrets, along with personal renewal and hope for the future, rather than more traditional folk themes. Of course, there is ‘Coupons and Cowboys’, a cautionary tale of a young maiden who falls under the spell of the wrong young man, but that is a theme common to both traditions, though British versions tend to feature men in uniform, rather than chaps and spurs. These are songs set in the now or recent past rather than any nod to a wider history. That’s not to say there isn’t room for a little humour, with a love song dedicated to charity shops (albeit thrift stores where they come from) and a musically delivered thesis that major developments in human achievement, from Greek philosophers, through Gandhi to Robert Zimmerman, are less a reflection of individual genius or species specific altruism, but simply a desire to impress the opposite sex.
All this is beautifully delivered, with Maybeth Zamer taking lead vocals on the majority of songs, whilst Mike T Lewis (strangely credited in largely lower-case lettering, as opposed to the capitalised majority of the contributors), adds vocals to the remaining tracks, alongside his guitar, bass and mandolin. Mention must be made of the additional musical elements that give the songs the emotional flavour that they deserve, whether this is Jeff Taylor’s accordion in ‘A Room In Burgundy’ giving it it’s undeniably French flavour and sense of place, in accordance with the subject matter in hand, and ‘Before She Found A Way’ where the violin of Jim Vanclefe accentuates the mood of the song to perfection.
Songwriting duties fall largely but not exclusively on the shoulders of Mike T. Lewis, either solo, or co-writes with his partner.
Overall, it can either be described as folk influenced country or country inflected folk, it is definitely American, without being Americana. It’s easy to see how US audiences, as indicated by popularity with broadcasters, have embraced them so tightly, there’s a quality across all the songs that is reflected in the broadness of the songs selected for airplay, but to this mind at least, they have saved the best until last. A bluesy ‘Part of Me’, then their take on Jimmy Dale Gilmore’s ‘Tonight I Think I’m Gonna Go Downtown’ followed by the finale and title track of the album, a classy slice of Fleetwood Mac go Nashville (which is where the album was recorded).
In short, an album of love, you are going to love, and you can make the Paramours your own new big love, as they undertake a short first UK tour in May, and find out what does become of the broken-hearted!
PS a big mention for the best use of tambourine on an album in a very long time!
Visit The Twangtown Paramours website
