Warrick & Lowell: An Album Review
by: Moose Gronholm
For a few years now Warrick and Lowell have been gigging around our Queen City. Playing the Southgate House or The Crow's Nest along with playing the Whispering Beard Folk Festival, and now, finally, they have a put out an album of eight cut your teeth on country tunes. The band is comprised of the brothers Ford Robert and Jon, with friends Zaq Fox (drums and percussion), Thomas Costa (keys), and Mark Van Patten throwing down the low end and electric guitar as well as mixing the album. The wait is finally over and they truly make the old saying real "patience is a virtue beholden by few." They truly made it worth it.
Within the eight songs there's driving melodies that pound like a jackhammer, or the reflexive look into life with "No Home in Ohio." Anyway that I have tried to slice this pie I always come back to that this is a pure country record. In the vain of those that came before and even intentionally to tip their caps to those that tread this path within the modern lexicon as well. They blend the beautiful country rhythm and blues. The album hits all the notes of it, after so many listens there is even a little bit of soul in there breathing through their keyboards and guitars. Not forgetting the driving rhythm of the drums that keeps everyone in line. The songwriting is honest and contains subject matter that doesn't disappoint. Characters that seem real, or the inner monologue of the writer simply transposing itself onto and into a song.
The songs are not pretty they have a rust about them. Little knicks and little dings that give them character. The songs can be a beautiful cacophony of organized loudness, which made me take a deep breath and a smile washed over me. For a debut album I wasn't sure what I was going to hear, and after the first listen I smiled. W&L while it may have taken them a while to release this album the payoff to that wait definitely makes it worth it. I've listened to the album three times now and plan on listening to it more as it has not left my cd player in my car. This album is a must buy that showcases, yet again the wealth of musical talent we have in our Queen City. They have a cd release party coming up at The Southgate House on Saturday December 30th, buying a ticket gets you the album. Which is a pretty sweet deal, and knowing these fellas giving back and staying humble is just in their blood. You can check em out at warrickandlowell.com and on facebook and instagram as well. Most of all go see these guys and get your paws on this album.
