Sounds Like Fall

Ever wondered where all of Ryan Adams' talent went? I'll tell you. Look no further than Joe Young of Arnes, Iowa. Not only does he seem to have nicked Ryan Adams' ability to write a brilliant country song, but he has also cultivated it and applied the filters that would have made Heartbreaker a classic.

Young's hushed delivery is the perfect vehicle for his gentle lullabies which are beautifully underpinned by a woozy yet apposite smattering of pedal steel, organ and drums, and imbued with an intrinsic honesty. Influenced heavily one suspects by a staple diet of old time country (Louvin Brothers, Ralph Stanley) Young's song-writing style is helplessly loose and unashamedly American, which may lessen the appeal to those caught up in the postmodern claptrap of the alt country school of thought that suggests that authenticity is all about style over content. Yet like many of those that have had the alt country label slapped on them irrespective of their desire to fit the mould Sounds Like Fall adopt a fearless naturalism and (stylistic) self-assuredness that sets them apart from the crowd – few of which would close their album with a spiritual and actually leave you with a sense that they mean business.

This is a record of real class showcasing a band with the potential to do great things.