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Review: AUBURN: Nashville review
https://www.musicstreetjournal.com/index_cdreviews_display.cfm?id=104311
Auburn
Nashville
Review by G. W. Hill
The mix of sounds here ranges from jazz and folk to country and rock and roll with some pop music thrown in. The vocals are very artsy. I suppose the closest connection vocally would be Bjork, but that’s only so accurate. However you describe this, though, it’s an entertaining, if a bit unusual, album. It’s quite effective and highly recommended.
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| Sitia Bay There’s a bouncy world music meets folk sound to this with some jazz in the mix. The vocals are understated and yet soulful. This is a great tune with a real old time sound to it. The killer melodic guitar solo brings both some further jazz and some Americana.
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| Let’s Start Over More of an energetic rocker, there is still jazz in the mix here. It’s got a real soulful, almost R&B vibe to it, too. The chorus is killer. That chorus has an almost Motown feeling to it. |
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| Hurting Although the folk (and to a lesser degree jazz) elements are still here, this is really a slow moving country tune. The slide guitar really brings into a down-home, old school country territory. This is another great song on a disc full of great songs. |
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| Crazy People Old school rock and roll, art rock and country music blend on this piece. It’s bouncy and fun. They throw a little of Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round” in at the end. |
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| Pride Is a Thief This is very much a mellow pop standard kind of piece. It’s got quite a bit of folk and jazz in the mix. It’s one of the most readily accessible pieces here – and a great tune. It might be my favorite of the set. |
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| Butterfly Very much a folk song, this has some leanings toward the folk prog movement. It’s also got some hints in the acoustic guitar approach to Led Zeppelin. With the vocals, though, it perhaps lands closer to early Heart. The more energized section mid-track is a nice touch.
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| Maybe Tonight Slide guitar brings some more of that country element to the table. This is overall more of a pop meets folk music song, though. It’s bouncy and fun. Of course, that country sound takes over a bit more as the song progresses later. |
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| Full to the Brim This is another candidate for best track of the CD. An art rock kind of vibe blends with Americana and some cool bluesy rock and roll on this thing. It’s modern and it’s retro and it’s exceptionally tasty. It’s a slow moving number that just oozes cool and charm. |
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| I Would Fall Down The slide guitar is back, and so are the country music elements. This is a fairly slow moving number that has a real gospel feel to it. |
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| Leaving Day Based on intricate acoustic guitar, this is a fairly gentle folk song. |
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| If You Knew This shuffling little number has an old-time pop and jazz sound. It’s a classy piece. It’s also fun. |
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| I'm Lost Very much a slow moving old school country song, this still has some old-time rock and roll and some jazz in the mix. CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO
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Review: Auburn US review
Auburn: Nashville
Auburn is a UK band that loves the music emanating from America's blues and country sound, especially the city of Nashville. In fact,Nashville is the name of their latest album release.
Auburn is lead by the unique pop vocals of Liz Lenten. The band includes Thomm Jutz, the band's producer and guitar player; Lynn Williams, on percussion; Mark Fain, on bass; Barry Walsh, on piano and organ; Terry Crisp, on pedal steel guitar; and Britt Savage on harmony vocals. The band has an exciting past, with many of these band members resumes full of some of Nashville's best performers including Roy Orbison, Joan Osborne, Robert Cray, Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs, Martina Mc Bride, and Garth Brooks, among a long list of famous country stars. The band returned to recording in 2012 with Indian Summer, and now follows that critically acclaimed return with Nashville. Their return followed a 10 date UK tour alongside the legendary Jefferson Starship.
Liz Lenten's vocals do not match traditional country music expectations, and that is the nice surprise with this music. It is as if Kate Bush was to sing some country or folk sounding melodies. Her faint but higher pitched sound is just the ticket to give this music the unique sound it needs. The first track "Sitia Bay" is a great blues number that is probably my album favourite. Most of the other tracks contain a country or folksy feel, with British influences permeating. The twang is there, but it is not overwhelming. "Full to the Brim" is another excellent bluesy track.
I am not a country music fan in any way. But Auburn's music does not comfortably fit in the traditional country mould. This album is more like modern country rock with a pop singer at the helm. I actually enjoyed this album and it opened my ears to listen to some modern country music.
Track Listing:
1. Sitia Bay
2. Let's start over
3. Hurting
4. Crazy People
5. Pride is a Thief
6. Butterfly
7. Maybe Tonight
8. Full to the Brim
9. I Would Fall Down
10. Leaving Day
11. If You Knew
12. I'm Lost
Added: April 28th 2014
Reviewer: Mark Johnson
Score: 
Related Link: https://www.auburn.org.uk/
Hits: 20
Language: english
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO:
