aware take on the guilt and anxiety that bubble up when coming to grips with one’s born-with-it privilege. “The song ‘Sittin’ Pretty’ speaks to the powerlessness I feel when reading the news about the troubling issues in our society like wealth inequality, climate change, and school shootings,” says Alvey. “When touring full time, the thought of joining a protest march or becoming active in local politics feels impossible when most days you’re figuring out where you’re going to sleep that night after the show.” The clever touch Golden Shoals leave on their songs is what sticks with listeners; a twist at the end, a smart rehashing of radio-hit lyrics, the upbeat but heavy introspective looks into the mirror. Their musical journey seems to have hit its stride, especially as Alvey and Kilianski dig in, unpack, and reevaluate their own stories, observations, trials, and successes. Their compassionate and thoughtful songwriting takes center stage in this new chapter of the band, while their undeniable musicianship continues to uplift and inspire the project. For this patient, tenacious band, the Shoals are indeed Golden, and ripe for more great music to come.
Golden Shoals Release Self-Titled Full-Length Album rolls eyes at the wacky people and places we The road to Golden Shoals has been a encounter as touring folk musicians—friends long, fruitful journey for Amy Alvey and Mark Kilianski. The duo has toured on foot— and contemporaries in cowboys costumes, white jumpsuits, and punk rock mullets; gig to gig with backpacks and instrument house parties, hotel conferences, and cases—for weeks at a time; called Asheville, bluegrass bands playing ‘80’s songs.” Boston, California, and New Jersey home; and lived in various moving vehicles on the The album ebbs and flows from the road for the past seven years under different names and incarnations. After all of that, their joyfully ironic opening track all the way to more emotional and understated tunes like new self-titled record, Golden Shoals, “I’ll Fall In Love represents a fresh start for Alvey and Again”; a gentle Kilianski; one that is more inclusive of the lament about inspirations they’ve taken in since beginning wanting to be more their musical journey. Out now, Golden than friends, to no Shoals contains twelve new songs which avail. “Rather than examine love and loss, personal growth, and cutting off our political strife; all through an inward-facing friendship, we lens and void of pretense or preachiness. In worked through their album review, Folk Radio said Golden those difficult Shoals is “consistently musically infectious feelings, became and emotionally weightier than it seems at first hearing” and No Depression called it “an better friends for it, and I moved on to album of this summer, and every summer new loves,” says after.” Kilianski. “A couple Engineered and mixed by Matt Lohan and produced by Lohan, Alvey, and Kilianski, of years after its inception, the song Golden Shoals features only one additional adopted a twist musician; Landon George’s upright bass and ending, turning the drums. Together, the aforementioned musicians wove a bright and intricate tapestry cliche country song trope of unrequited from only four threads. Golden Shoals opens love on its head.” with “Everybody’s Singing,” a straightforThe album closes ward country swing tune about some not so with “Sittin’ Pretty,” straightforward personalities. Alvey and an incredibly selfKilianski proclaim the song “celebrates and 76 Rock and Blues International • September 2020
