Thursday, October 6, 2011

#20: Abigail Washburn - City of Refuge

Release Year: 2011

I don't know what it is about this album that makes it so great.  The first few times I heard it, I thought it nothing special, but said I'd buy it if I saw it on vinyl.  At Telluride Bluegrass, I saw a vinyl copy at the merch tent, and I'm a man of my word.

It helped that I saw her perform several times at the festival.  It was during her live set that her music really clicked with me, and I found myself enjoying her set more than almost any other.  I listened to the album a few more times in the ensuing weeks, and I was hooked.

Washburn plays the banjo, but this isn't bluegrass.  It's more folk than anything else.  The music is rich and textured, and her warm voice perfectly complements her lush songs.  There's really nothing else out there that combines the same influences she pulls from, making this one of the more unique records in my collection.

Standout tracks:
  • Divine Bell
  • Burn Thru
  • Chains
  • Last Train 

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