Arlington Priest "The Memory of Your Company" (Independent 2006)

Brilliant debut from Georgian husband-wife harmonisers

The first thing to say about ‘The Memory of Your Company’ is that it is a cracking debut. The husband-and-wife duo that comprise Arlington Priest have spent three years honing their harmonies and it has paid off in spades. This debut is bursting with variety and maturity and contains some absolute gems. Rhett and Jill McAllister have contrasting voices but they meld beautifully across a variety of styles – country, americana, folk and even a touch of zydeco. With superb backing a variety of musicians including producer Will Robinson, the sound is rich which is just as well because Jill matches Neko Case in terms of lung power. Yet she is more than capable of drawing back and supporting Rhett’s more cautious tones to great effect.

The highlights include the plaintive and honest opener ‘Long Day,’ the expansive ‘Mexico’ and the anthemic ‘The Stone’. These are very strong songs that are executed with perfection as the McAllisters vocal intimacy grabs the listener. Gentler ballads such as ‘Sarah,’ ‘Petersburg’ and ‘Tonight’ are heartfelt and balance the livelier numbers. ‘With Me,’ a hidden track, suggests a sound that Portishead may have produced if they had been from the Dirty South.

The only fault I can see with this release is the band’s name and that’s only because google throws up a bunch of news articles about abuse in the Catholic Church when typing in ‘Arlington Priest.’ Otherwise this is a brilliant debut that exhibits exceptional harmonies that is well worth tracking down.

Date review added:  Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Reviewer:  Nic Fildes
Reviewers Rating:
Related web link:  Artist Web site