Signature Sounds will release the latest from modern acoustic bluegrass band Joy Kills Sorrow on February 23, and it’s a dandy. Founded in 2005, this young Boston-based group has undergone significant evolution in its lineup to arrive where it now stands—poised to join the elite company of Crooked Still, Nickel Creek, and Bearfoot as the standard-bearers of young acoustic Americana. “Darkness Sure Becomes This City” is a wide-ranging romp that runs the gamut from indie-pop to acoustic jazz. And yet, they remain connected to their roots in traditonal bluegrass; in fact the band’s name is derived from the call letters of the radio station that broadcast the music of the Monroe Brothers in the 1930s: WJKS.
We expect this record to receive lots of airplay on folk radio, and plenty of press as well. They deserve it. The tender, clear voice of Emma Beaton will resonate with fans of The Weepies, The Biscuit Burners, and Uncle Earl. Bassist Bridget Kearney wrote six of the songs on this release, and ample string virtuosity is provided by Matthew Arcara (guitar), Jacob Jolliff (mandolin), and Wesley Corbett (banjo). Enjoy these two preview tracks and bonus live video from Joy Kills Sorrow.
LISTEN: Send Me A Letter (MP3)
LISTEN: We Will Have Our Day (MP3)
Bonus Video: Fall on my Knees
Hooray! Beaton is one of my absolute favorite folk vocalists; JKS has long been a hot item on my “watch” list, too. A match made in heaven, and the tracks sound GREAT!