You’ll be swept up and away by the currents. Mother Merey & The Black Dirt‘s captivating full-length debut, Down To the River, became an instant Austin Music Minute addiction, due mostly to its old-time roots feel. But “revival” is not the word I’d peg on this unique three-piece. It’s more of a faithful deconstruction and invigorating rebuilding of traditional American folk.
The local acoustic trio – Merey Kimbrough on washboard, Eric Witthans on dobro and percussion, and Kevin Allen on harmonica, all contributing vocals – finds inspiration in country trails off the beaten path, those places not so easily reached but worth looking for in the deepest woods or overgrown fields. Their affinity for raw, gritty Delta blues and mountain folk shines through on their debut, an absolute treasure of classic and contemporary styles. The beauty lies in its simplicity.
Mother Merey & The Black Dirt are having an album release show tonight at Antone’s, 2015 E. Riverside Dr. This is going to be one hell of a party with a stellar local band line-up: Brandon Luedtke, Holiday Mountain, Whiskey Shivers, and Old Gray Mule. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the music starts at 8:30 p.m. Recommended.
