Headwater "Lay You Down" (Nowhere Town Records 2009)

Excellent roots album from old school chums.

Canadian band Headwater’s songs revolve around the singing partnership of old school friends, Matt Bryant and Jonas Shandel. ‘Lay You Down’ is their second album and quite simply it oozes class. Headwater know that the art to roots song-writing is to ensure that none of the songs outstay their welcome, while packing a mean melodic punch. The opening three tracks of the album (‘Death Of Me’, ‘Picture Show’ and ‘Brown Stone Road’) are as good an opening salvo as I have heard for quite some time. The pace slackens for the haunting ‘Under the Rocks and Stones’ before the band pick the tempo up with an excellent cover of Fred Eaglesmith’s, ‘Freight Train’

The band is fleshed out by Patrick Metzger, Tim Tweedale, Tyson Naylor and Marc Esperance, all of whom utilise traditional instrumentation sparingly to give these beautiful songs space to work their magic. It is no exaggeration to claim that ‘Lay Me Down’ is one of the best albums these ears have heard over the past twelve months, and that any fan of sensitively played, beautifully sung roots music should seek these boys out as a matter of urgency.

Date review added:  Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Reviewer:  Dan Wilkinson
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Related web link:  Artist Website