Alt-country is the one genre of music that I understand completely. It’s strangely familiar after growing up in the south, but when executed properly, it takes me to new places that challenge the definition of the category.
True to form, I connected instantly with Athens-based alt-country newbies, Futurebirds the first time I queued up the free EP they dropped a minute ago via Bandcamp. And after listening to our JOTD, “Battle for Rome,” I have to believe we just may have the highlight from their upcoming debut LP Hampton’s Lullaby for you kids today.
Encompassing everything it damn well should, including but not limited to banjo, pedal steel, acoustic guitars, southern accents, and war themes – the song marches along like infantry into battle along a desolate country road.
But when the song begins its end, we’re left inside the the head of a post-battle soldier struggling to cope with the pain in his/her head and atone for the things he/she did that day.
It’s beautiful and haunting and something that you need to download right now. You may do this below.