The Lost Brothers

Formed in Liverpool in 2007, The Lost Brothers sound like they were actually formed somewhere in America’s deep south. All twanging country guitars and maudlin fiddle, they are a band that blend Celtic-tinged folk (they are both from Omagh) with American folk and this, their third album, sees them honing their sound and bringing in a big gun producer in the shape of Raconteur Brendan Benson, whom they have toured with previously.

Although the sound produced by Oisín Leech and Mark McCausland is similar to their previous albums, especially last year’s So Long John Fante, it seems Benson’s experienced hand on the controls has helped the duo craft their sounds more delicately and the eleven tracks (running at around thirty minutes) flow together more cohesively. Recording near Nashville has also helped, with all that country influence bound to rub off.

Built around their now well-formed harmonies and simple melodies, there are gentle ballads in the shape of Far Side and the prisoner’s lost love tale of Not Now Warden, alongside more traditional sounding jaunts like Bird In A Cage and the piano-led Tumbling Line, with its infectious whistling refrain. The likes of Send Me Off To Sleep and Now That The Night Has Come have a deliberate lullaby feel and just stay the right side of twee. A career taking shape nicely.