Yellow Tag Mondays

Style: Retro pop-inspired bluegrass; compare to Nickel Creek, Simon & Garfunkel, Cadillac Sky

Yellow Tag Mondays

The Farewell Drifters

June 8, 2010

Top tracks: “Love We Left Behind,” “Love Me Good & Plain,” “Wake Up”

With the folk songwriting skills of James Taylor, the melodic affections of Nickel Creek and the agile musicianship of a legit bluegrass band, The Farewell Drifters hybrid of retro/folk/pop is a welcome intrigue to an ever-evolving acoustic music landscape. Blanketed with top-shelf harmonies, this debut from these Nashville “newgrassers” derives more vocal fashion from Paul Simon’s folksong lyricism than Ricky Skaggs’ nasal bluegrass bite. Effectively distinguishing themselves from their traditional, and often narrowly produced, contemporaries, the clever quintet swabs heartland songs with modern acoustic production. Add lyrical integrity congruous with the young men’s faith and the band’s fresh musical innovations should catch on quickly.

- More from Andrew Greer

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Study: Evangelical Churches Aren’t Particularly Political

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Even if members are politically active and many leaders are often outspoken about issues and candidates they support, most congregations make great efforts to keep politics out of the church when they gather.