Appalachian smash/folk/country. I can imagine this band playing at a big ho-down in Tennessee in some huge broken-down barn. Guitar, banjo, harmonica, fiddle, voices. This is fun, big, brash music, so stay away if you’re looking for something subtle or delicate or arty. Lyrics are pretty weak, honestly—uninspired poppy stuff. Lots of talk of sentimental love. If you like country, though, and you stay away from some of the cheesiest tracks, this album might be worth a listen. Try 1, 9, 11.

1) “What Were You Waiting For” (3:57): Really catchy song with huge kicks.
2) “Staring at the Door” (3:14): Methodical rhythm drives this one forward. Cool little delicate moment at 2:15.
3) “Go Get Gone” (4:35): Smoother, more melancholy, more gentle.
4) “Stay All Night” (3:22): Begins in a much higher register, which I liked. “If you stay all night, yeah that would be all right.” Ugh.
5) “Country Blues” (3:24): Ho-down country dance style. Voice is pretty heavily distorted.
6) “Town Crier” (3:53): Kind of a cheesy song about forbidden love. “While they’re busy crying ‘guilty,’ our hearts are claiming victory.” Ugh again.
7) “On the Brink” (4:04): Another big song about love. “All that I wanted is you.” The fiddle does some nice stuff in this one.
8) “Mountains” (3:40): A little slower and chiller.
9) “Traveler” (4:05): The guitar is doing something cool here: lots of snapping, popping; and the violin gets a nice moment, too. A song about coming home.
10) “After This Fall” (4:27): Heavy on the harmonica and acoustic strings. “You will rise after this fall.”
11) “Gravity Well” (4:37): Violin glissandos around in a cool way in the beginning. Much more restrained—a saner track on the album. Cool instrumental last 45 seconds.
12) “Don’t Let Me Down” (3:26): Again, much more restrained. Just guitar and voice—the other instruments just provide accents.

—Mr. Tumnus