Artist: No Dry County
Album: The Night Before
There is something about some types of music that remind you of summertime. The songs that bring fond summer memories back to the forefront of the mind often have that laid back tone, soft singing, and a slight country influence. Maybe It’s because I spend my summer listening to such music and sitting around campfires with friends and family, but the latest album from No Dry County brought all of my wonderful summer memories back instantly.
The Night Before is the first full-length album for the Texas band No Dry County. Formed in 2009, the band began as an 80s cover band. Today they have been compared to bands like Kings of Leon and The Black Crowes, and artists like Ryan Adams or Tom Petty, and I found that they instantly reminded me of The Trews. Their sound is classified as Americana, but there are influences of blues, rock, country, and even metal at times.
The first track “Crazed Young Love” threw me off at first. It begins with the guitar droning melodiously which is eventually met with an even subtler bass and drums. However, when the singing starts it almost doesn’t match the music because the vocals are so obviously used to the country genre. Still I found myself enjoying the first track on the album despite the unusual music and vocal pairing.
The song that I love the most on this album is “Homeland”. The influence of country is very prominent in this song, and, although I am typically not a fan of the genre, it was the roaring guitar at the beginning of the song that attracted my attention. The lyrics are beautiful because they capture the struggle that is in the heart of someone faced with having to travel away from their family.
I also really liked “Wouldn’t It Be Fine”. There really isn’t anything that sets the song apart from the rest of the album, but the addition of the keyboard caught my ear. As well, the guitar is slightly more prominent with a hard rock influence. Interestingly paired with these two elements is a soft singing that winds down into a harmonious blend of voices. The full effect is a song that sounds so beautifully hopeful that it couldn’t help but draw my attention to it.
Overall, the entire album is fantastic. As I mentioned at the beginning, this album very much reminds me of the music that I listen to during the summer while relaxing outdoors, but I think that it would also be perfect to listen to while studying because the rhythm is continuously soft and steady from track to track.
The Night Before was released March 10, 2015, just in time to make it on my summer playlist, and is available on iTunes.
Samantha Stevens is an aspiring writer who loves combining her love for literature with photography, painting, music, and all creative pursuits.