Twins Sarah and Claire Bowman became fixtures in their native Midwest with a reputation of great live shows; the last 3 years has seen a move to New York and with it a steady rise in their reputation and profile.
‘Far from Home’ was originally released in 2007 on the NY indie label Mother West, and has been deservedly picked up for an official European release by the excellent Dutch label ‘Continental’.
The Bowmans’ sound is one of their own, touches of folk, Americana, vaudeville, classical influences and many more all meld together to create a musically rich and exciting sound isn’t afraid to stand out from the pack. The secret of the disc is that it brings all these influences together and succeeds in making a cohesive sequence of 13 songs.
The disc is built around the vocals of Sarah and Claire, and their tight harmonies hold everything together beautifully over the varied styles, and the production on the album is first rate especially given the sheer range of instrumentation used. In addition to the twins’ acoustic guitar, cello and violin, there are tracks that feature mandolin, brass, Wurlitzer and a host of other instruments.
For all the variety and influences on show, this is at heart a modern singer/songwriter album that is fun from start to finish; the songs are melody led and very easy on the ear and there’s a real sense of joie de vivre running throughout.
Highlights include the catchy, beautifully delivered opener ‘On the Road’, the wistful country-esque ‘Forever’, and the guitar driven ‘You’re Right’.
‘Far from Home’ is a confident and engaging album that has real character, the twins’ voices work together well and the songs and arrangements are considered and well realised. Highly recommended.
Track listing
1 On the Road
2 Forever
3 Make It Last
4 Kitchen Song
5 Digging for Gold
6 Williamsburg Bridge
7 Pick One Piece
8 You're Right
9 World with No Boundaries
10 Pick One Piece Reprise
11 Far from Home
12 I Have Fallen
13 Porker Song
