Montreal’s Robert Cole, recording under the moniker Friend of All the World, spent about two years writing, recording and producing Up These Branches, a set of 16 thoughtful, beautifully made acoustic songs. With fellow Montrealans Kenton Mail and Charles-Louis Roseau, Friend of All the World plays a self-described “urban cousin” of bluegrass, “porch-sitting music.” Songs like “The Living Light” and “In the Life“ start off with a gentle acoustic guitar and Cole’s rich voice that is a cross between Richard Thompson and Colin Meloy. Some tracks on Up These Branches have a calm, restful sound that recall Nick Drake mixed with The Decemberists, while others have a more rootsy bluegrass feel. – Written by DBosket
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