Fans of Over the Rhine, The Innocence Mission, Mazzy Star, Sixpence None the Richer, 10,000 Maniacs, and The Cranberries will find themselves warmed through the winter by the golden glow of Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden in their new, self-titled release.
I’ve been listening to Tucker and Company’s moody pop for several weeks now. This isn’t an album that grabs you and shakes you… it’s one that slips quietly into the back of your mind, and soon you find yourself¬†humming these melodies to yourself.
Touched with electronic flourishes, these are really folk and country songs at hear. But the more I listened, the more I struggled to figure out what it was that sounded so familiar. Browsing other notes about the band online, I found it: The Cocteau Twins. There’s something about the lush, layered guitars were lulling me into the same blissful melancholy that I associate with the Cocteau Twins’ Blue Bell Knoll and The Innocence Mission’s Glow. The album was produced by Ryan Hadlock (Blonde Redhead, The Gossip, Holy Ghost Revival) at Bear Creek Studio. You may recognize Damien Jurado singing backup.
I’m lucky to have met Tucker at Over the Rhine’s recent Seattle concert. Now I’m looking forward to seeing her sing live sometime soon (I hope).
And speaking of music…
If you don’t have Over the Rhine’s two Christmas albums, you’re really missing out. These two albums are playing every week through November, December, and January at Overstreet headquarters.