Shining a Light on Country Comforts

The Felice Brothers have always found inspiration in a strong roots regimen. They began by busking in New York’s subway system before eventually returning home to upstate New York. Then they took off touring in a minibus, traveling to the hinterlands. Some international awareness followed, as did a series of personnel changes that resulted in the loss of drummer brother Simone Felice, who opted for a solo career (he now leads a band called the Duke & The King). But it’s the Felice Brothers’ backwoods ethic that resonates most profoundly.

The group’s new album, Life in the Dark (out June 24 on Yep Roc), isn’t nearly as shuttered as its title might imply. Mostly, it’s a fast track to the country, filled with a kind of ramped-up revelry and fiddled frenzy that evokes an Appalachian hoedown or Saturday night celebration.

The album kicks off on a high note with opening track “Aerosol Ball,” before segueing into the looney swagger of “Jack at the Asylum.” While the festivities continue with “Dancing on the Wing” and “Sally!,” there are intermittent moments of reflection found in the remorseful lament “Sell the House” and the unhurried tone of the title track.

Throughout the disc, the Felice Brothers bring to mind The Band, with their rustic accoutrements and unassuming appeal. Life in the Dark is the sound of the backwoods at its best, with a harvest moon above, hills and fields below, and a sepia-tinted glow that provides a rural ambiance all its own.

In short, this is Americana with a capitol A. Here, that A also stands for Authenticity. Indeed, after an absence of four years, the Felice Brothers find themselves back in full stride.