Birds of Chicago
Self Released
The soulful urban-folk of Birds of Chicago's self-titled debut album is as energetic and vibrant as spring. Lively and danceable, the music of J.T. Nero and Allison Russel is honest and optimistic in a heartfelt manner. Mixing a richly natural feel with a street wise sensibility this album is filled with highly approachable songs.
Built from Nero's urban white-man's blues and finished with Russel's soulful crooning these songs will wash over you like a warm spring breeze. Its sound musical landscapes weaved from organically paired instrumentation giving this duo a comforting aura that's a joy to listen to. From the playful "Trampoline" to the reflective wail of "The Wide Sea" this record is filled with one wonderful song after another. A personal favorite is the soulful folk of "The Moonglow / Tapeworm" with its laid back tempo and lyrical play. Even the French of "San Souci" seems at perfect harmony amongst the rest of the songs on the album.
Like a sweet dream, this record has been forming in the ether for sometime now, as the occasional collaborations between these two artists developed into something more permanent. With fruit like this we can only hope that this musical marriage has a long and bountiful future ahead of it.
