This past spring, Athens, Ohio band Southeast Engine released their fifth album, Canary on the recently resurrected label, Misra Records. Drawing from the locale’s history as a rural Appalachian coal-mining town, Southeast Engine crafts a narrative of family life and struggles during the Great Depression. Musically the work takes on a blend of folk-rock and Americana, with elements of bluegrass and gospel. Contributing to the sound is the traditional instrumentation of fingerpicked guitar, fiddle, piano and banjo, however Southeast Engine transforms them by incorporating rock-informed arrangements. While the subject is historical, the themes of family, hardship, struggle, and place are universal, packing emotional resonance even today. Canary is a charming, relevant album of good Americana infused rock. – Written by SMarx
SIMILAR | Bright Eyes, Ha Ha Tonka, Marah, Middle Brother, Okkervil River