New Haven band No Line North took a hard look at Amecicana and decided to add improvisation and shards of garage rock to make it more interesting. Their new Dreams of Trees Pt. 1 kicks off with the lengthy instrumental Line Drive. While most would have picked this as the final track this bold and meandering composition is showcase for all band members. It's a tough statement to follow. The folk-pop songs Butterflies and Sky and Sea are not half bad, but pale in comparison.
They pick up steam Under the Sun, with rollicking percussion and guitar serving as the foundation for the vocals and violins. The final track Sugar Baby is and old-fashioned talking blues on top of a DeVotchKa-alike arrangement. No Line North is a band with a knack for accessible yet complex songs. Their out-of-the-box approach puts them in the left-field and that's where the interesting things tend to happen.
No Line North:
Jon Schlesinger: guitar, banjo, lap steel, vocals
John Gage: drums, vibraphone
Taralyn Bulyk: violin, percussion
John Leonard: bass, guitar, vocals
Michael Kiefer: drums
Brian Slattery: violin
Dreams of Trees Pt. 1 is released via Twin Lakes Records.
Tracks:- Line Drive
- Butterflies
- Sky and Sea
- Under the Sun
- Sugar Baby
- 10/21 New Haven, CT @ Lyric Hall Theater
(w/ Lys Guillorn & Her Band, Bill Beckett