Dublin roots band I Draw Slow release their second album today (July 8) withPinecastle Records. White Wave Chapel is poised to continue where their last album, Redhills, left off. Redhills was a resounding success with American radio and fans that fell in love with the band during several U.S runs. The band recently toured the States in the spring, including a performance at the prestigious festival Merlefest. They will be back in October for another slate of shows.
Their debut video “Valentine” features Aidan Gillen from “Game of Thrones” and can be viewed at CMT Edge. And you can listen to the album in full, courtesy of The Bluegrass Situation here.
They have been described in the UK press as “American top league equivalents” destined “to blow the opposition away,” drawing favorable comparisons with Gillian Welsh and Alison Krauss. The band has played to audiences in the UK, Germany, Denmark and Belgium – and started 2012 with a performance with the Legendary Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and an appearance at the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow Scotland.
I Draw Slow is a five-piece outfit comprising vocals, guitar, fiddle, banjo and double bass. Holden siblings Dave (guitar) and Louise (vocals) have been writing together for two decades. In 2008 the pair teamed up with Violinist Adrian Hart, Claw hammer banjo player Colin Derham, Double bassist Konrad Liddy to form I Draw Slow.
The five have created a sound, rooted in the old time style of the Appalachian Mountains, drawing on Irish traditional music and Americana. However, this is a whole new songbook of stories and melodies. These are dark tales of trouble, debauchery – but swinging from the kind of well-crafted melodies that survive.
White Wave Chapel:
“Their lyrics are evocative and imaginative, yet remarkably in an entirely American idiom and vernacular – no Gaelic transposed to fit the hills and hollers. Songs like “Bread & Butter” and “Hide & Seek” resonate rhythmically and lyrically…” – Sing-Out Magazine
“Their writing is skilled, rich and wonderfully mature…the album is a delight…” – KDHX
“I Draw Slow is a high-powered bluegrass band from Ireland, who discovered the genre while busking in Australia. Perfect for an all-American musical mish-mash of Appalachian Mountain music, blues, jazz and traditional country! Hear for yourself on White Wave Chapel.” – FOLK ALLEY
“Its first American album, Redhills was a big hit with bluegrass fans in 2012.White Wave Chapel, which debuts July 8, should continue the streak. It’s described as Appalachian roots music with an Irish edge — a blend of alt-country, folk, old-time, bluegrass and Americana. The lyrics are poetry set to music. They don’t really tell a story as much as create a mystery — and a beautiful sound.” – Keith Lawrence, Owensboro Messenger
