14072014 - Ruby Red & the Moonshine Brothers "Ruby Red & the Moonshine Brothers"

There seems to be a whole lot of really good Norwegian country and roots music coming out these days, and this is another little treasure. From the opening track, "It's Gonna Be Alright", Marte "Ruby Red" Herwell's lilting semi-Linda Ronstadt-y voice takes aim for the heart, but with a detour through the face, making sure it's all smiles. The band consists of a married couple, two siblings (brother and sister) and two guys named Mats, which is all well and good, and they are all very young. Early twenties young! So how come they make it sound as if they hail from he heart of the Appalachians and have been doing this for years? They make it sound so effortless, and although they sneak in a little (unintentional?) Beatles here and some Norwegian folk fiddle there, on the whole this sounds authentically American. They also have some really funny and pretty dark lyrics, such as on the hilarious cautionary tale "When the Whole Mess Began" which has gambling, death and a gritty guitar on the menu. Other songs, like the gorgeous "Sophie", are more melancholy and slightly tearful, but they balance these contrasts with elegance and ease. Highly recommended!