The City Will Go by Lionshare (HTR006)

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If the 7” from The Broken Family Band wasn’t enough, yet another beautifully packaged treat arrives in the same month. I had previous experience and knowledge of the former band; both live and on record, Lionshare however have come as somewhat of a pleasant surprise. The second band to be released in this succession of 7” singles hail again from Cambridge, and again purveyors of a very American brand of music, although this time it is an altogether gloomier affair, but I guess that is pretty much inferred by the titles of the two tracks.

This offering from Lionshare is my first experience of the band, and I can only hope it will not be the last. From the first listen to this disk, as with the first 7”, it finishes and almost demands a repeat play. Admittedly this is not one to get the party started, far from it, but this is piece of unadulterated joy and doom in equal measures.

The are some pretty clear musical reference points that probably warrant a mention there are definite hints of Will Oldham, Jason Molina, Alasdair Roberts… well you get the picture. It has to be said that although there are influences of all of these, Lionshare clearly have a sound of their own, and if you are interested in the more doom laden, twisted, American gothic music, you could go a lot further wrong than to get hold of this single which, once again, is genius.

Beg, steal or borrow to get your hands on this collection of records, I cannot express how good they are…in spite of trying. And no, I have not been bribed; I just feel the world would be a better place if more people owned these records'. Drew Millward (http://www.tastyfanzine.org.uk)