Grace and Tony

November

2014-01-13

Hailing from Loretto, Tennessee, Grace and Tony are a husband-wife songwriting duo who refer to the music they make together as "punkgrass." While this term might not be officially imprinted in genre terminology, it certainly applies to their debut release November. The songs are mainly comprised of banjo, mandolin, and acoustic guitar which inevitably inspire folky riffs, a heavy emphasis on harmonizing vocals, and a sound that loosely references the twang of bluegrass - yet Tony's background in punk music is obviously the other half of November's inspiration. His voice at times dips into a husky register as the music quickly gallops behind, with Grace's sweet soprano balancing it out. 

There is a certain punk energy one feels seeping through in songs like "The Chameleon" and "Holy Hand Grenade," yet other standout tracks such as "Grassphemy" and "Me to Me" sound more like the result of Grace's penchant for southern styles of music like gospel and Texas swing mixed with the simplicity of folk tunes. So if you're into upbeat and brightly optimistic sounding music made from a conglomerate of folk, bluegrass, and punk, Grace and Tony's November is certainly one for the books.

Bonus Trivia: Tony is the brother of John Paul White of The Civil Wars.

Recommended Tracks: #4 "The Chameleon", #9 "Grassphemy", #11 "La Carrera"

Sigmund Steiger 

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