Shovels & Rope – Little Seeds
Charleston-based Shovels & Rope are back with their fifth LP. The husband and wife tandem of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst specialize in an energetic brand of Americana and alt-country. Their new record, Little Seeds, comes just over a year after the birth of their first child, an amazing feat even for this relentless duo. Shovels & Rope’s eclectic sound is rooted in the music found across America: blues, folk, country and rock & roll. Acoustic guitars are met with electric ones, mandolins with organs and wild percussion with thumping bass. The pair sings with an obvious chemistry, and an overt earnestness. Their vocal range is undeniable; both Trent and Hearst can achieve such quiet tenderness, as well as an all-out chaos at the top of their lungs. However, no matter the intensity, at no point do the harmonies ever falter. The fact that they are married only adds[...]