by Aoife O'Donovan
While vocalist Aoife O'Donovan has spent years performing, touring and songwriting seriously with progressive Boston string band, Crooked Still, Fossils is Aoife's debut album. And despite the big Irish name and having spent early school holidays in Ireland, her solo work is particularly American folk. It's no surprise she's caught the ear of the likes of Alison Krauss - the precision of her harmonies, the heartbreak of the alt-country styles and stories are a natural match, enough that Krauss recorded Aoife's song Lay My Burden Down on her own album Paper Airplane in 2011. The album begins gently, in a Gillian Welch sort of mood - sparse, clear, sad, but powerful. The bigger numbers come in the middle of the album, with the songs Beekeeper and Fire Engine. Locally, you could liken Aoife's sound to Sal Kimber & the Rollin Wheel.
While Fossils has been a long time coming (about 10 years in the works), it’s such a considered release for this wait. It has also seen the fruition of a dream from Aoife’s college days – to work with producer Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Tift Merritt).
Fossils is out on Yep Roc Records.
by Maddy Mac - The Breakfast Spread (every week day morning from 6-9am)
This week's Top 10:
