December will be the 2nd anniversary of Adobe & Teardrops’ existence. I’ve finally gotten into a “rhythm,” have developed something like a voice, and truly enjoy the task of sitting down and writing now. I always thought these were things only “real” writers talked about, but I guess I’m kind of a “real” writer now.
But what’s really cool is that I’ve done this long enough that bands I reviewed early on are coming out with new material. If you’ve been here a while, you may remember that I rhapsodised about Magnolia Mountain’s previous album, Town and Country.
Beloved is a little different, and that’s okay. To be perfectly honest, I fell deeply in love with Town and Country, and expecting to fall in love with Beloved would be like dating your ex’s sibling. It’s a little unrealistic to expect that.
For one thing, Beloved is a pretty dark album (in case the jacket art didn’t tip you off) and it’s more focused in terms of its sound. Where Town and Country was a celebration of all things American and musical, Beloved is a meditation on the pain that love brings. Renee Frye and Melissa English do most of the vocal lifting on Beloved, with frontman Mark Utley providing tasteful and timely harmonies.
Magnolia Mountain has plenty of laurels to rest on. But they’re continuing to push themselves musically, and that’s a pleasure to see, even if it doesn’t always hit the mark for me. I’m looking forward to seeing how they’ve improved the next time around.
Magnolia Mountain — Official, Facebook, Buy Beloved