They might suggest that the world is cold, but there’s warmth in those harmonies. Yet, as apocalyptic as the song sounds, Ryan and Pattengale’s beautifully entwined vocals offer comfort. If the house band at the Last Chance Saloon were playing this at last orders, there’d be no doubt that once that final shot of whisky is finished, the end is waiting just the other side of the bar’s exit sign. A mournful shuffle with ghostly interjections from the pedal steel, it gets under your skin before heading into a lengthy and hypnotic jam section that The Doors would have been proud of. Sprawling and heartbreaking, it finds the pair utilising nuance wonderfully. The centrepiece of the album is the 10-minute epic One More For The Road. The expanded sound suits them perfectly, giving them wider scope and allowing the duo to realise their artistic vision. Long term fans of the duo shouldn’t panic about Ryan and Pattengale’s decision to bring a band onboard, for their music is still just as delicate and intricate as it ever was. A wealth of upheaval and experience to draw on should provide a firm basis for a classic album, and The Milk Carton Kids don’t disappoint. As a group, The Milk Carton Kids have expanded from a duo to a full band for their latest album, All The Things I Did And All The Things That I Didn’t Do. While we slipped out before the end to make sure my 5 year old got her beauty sleep, this was a very memorable evening at The Gardens and one that proved that Swallow Hill is still bringing in top notch talent who are pushing boundaries in their genres.Adversity and change have long provided the impetus for country music and since The Milk Carton Kids’ last album, Monterey, the duo have gone through a number of life changing events Joey Ryan welcomed his second child into the world, whilst Kenneth Pattengale overcame cancer and went through the breakup of his seven-year relationship. The crowd sat and listened attentively as they showcased “A Sea of Roses” from the new record alongside “No Hammer To Hold” and “Laredo” from Prologue and Retrospect respectively.Īs the set past the halfway point, the four auxiliary members left the stage and the original Milk Carton Kids remained for a single mic duo interlude that featured, among others, fan favorite “Michigan” which drew perhaps the most fervent reaction of the night. Early on Kenneth quipped that this was the Colorado debut of the new songs but “if you were really savvy, you could have listened to them on NPR” as the album wasn’t scheduled to hit stores for another four days. It was great to hear that the acts signature harmonies, and deadpan humor, were still vibrantly present, as their sound has blossomed. ![]() While Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale slipped into the hearts of their fans as a duo, as they tour in support of their most recent album, All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do, they have expanded to a sextet. She was a fabulous opener and, given how the capacity crowd responded to her music, I could easily see her headlining the venue in coming years.įollowing Sierra Hull’s mesmerizing set, The Milk Carton Kids took the stage and brought with them a surprise for many in attendance, a backing band. Her fingers danced on her mandolin strings and she dazzled with a brilliant mix of originals and covers including a take on Loretta Lynn’s “You Wanna Give Me A Lift” and the Tears For Fears classic “Mad World” – the latter of which featured Hull picking up an electric Mandolin in lieu of the acoustic. From the moment she took the stage with her two band-mates, I was in awe. With not one but two standout sets from masterful songwriters and instrumentalists, the gardens were awash in melody as those of us lucky enough to be there soaked up the evening and sipped our wine.įirst up was 26 year old multi-instrumentalist and singer Sierra Hull, and somehow this angel voiced twenty-something had slipped under my radar until Monday night. ![]() ![]() This was a special evening at The Denver Botanic Gardens.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |