The Real Folk-Blues: Review of Yo to the Holland Brothers

Out of Chapel Hill, NC comes a fine self-released record from twins Mark and Michael Holland called Yo to the Holland Brothers. Don’t let the tongue-in-cheek title or the urban cover photo fool you: it is a hard-driving, acoustic folk-blues record that is pleasing to the ear and foot from the opening track, Charley Patton’s “Boweevil Blues”, through to the final cut, “Reflections of Times Gone By”, an original Charlie Poole inspired number created by Michael. There is a great mix of covers and originals and the brothers use an arsenal of supporting musicianship that brings the songs into a shining light. Close harmonies, in much the style of the Louvin Brothers, driving acoustic rhythm, expert three-finger ragtime picking and a very original cross-harp style provide a backdrop to stand-out tracks like the twin penned “Dreamed Last Night of an Old Girlfriend”, or the muscular “My Baby Says She’s Coming” from Mark, invoking images of a desperate, lonely heart and a ‘30’s high-roller, respectively,  with lyrics of the latter forged in the non-linear style favored by black songwriters long ago. Much has been made of the Holland’s past, especially the critically acclaimed 1996 Elektra release, Revelator. But, Yo to the Holland Brothers is a forward-thinking, progressive work that steers clear of lily-white, traditional roots music and seeks inspiration and foundation in harder-edged artists like Patton and the North Carolina rambler, Charlie Poole. Listening to it is well-worth the time spent.