Lawrence County began life as DH Lawrence and the Vaudeville Skiffle Show and released their debut album in 2013. Now, after a line up change, they have regrouped with a new name and fresh new sound on 'The Frailty of Humans'.
The music sounds like it has been brewed deep down in a hideout in the Catskill Mountains but surprisingly the band hails from the midlands of England – in Nottinghamshire. And, their music, while influenced by the Appalachian and bluegrass genres also focuses heavily on traditional storytelling.
An early highlight, ‘Black Sally’ is a melancholic tale wrapped up a nimble country tune, while the English folk murder ballad ‘Lucy Wan’ gets the full Americana treatment here, hinting at a deeper connection between the two styles of music. Taking a political swipe at the current resident of The White House, ‘Bye Bye Americae’ pulls no punches as it details the current state of American politics.
A culture clash between bootleggers and religion is detailed in the dark and brooding ‘Liquor In The Corn’. Hints of summer and the English traditional way of life are celebrated in the romantic ballad ‘Goldfish In A Jar’ and ‘I Don’t Sing Country Anymore’ takes a tongue in cheek swipe at the genre using clever lyrics based on some of the most cliched themes in country music.
With thirteen songs on the album, it feels long in places and may have benefited from a shorter, tighter tracklist or more diversity in the music. That said, nimble playing, tight harmonies, and ragged old-time tunes mixed with good songs makes ‘The Frailty Of Humans’ a very well produced record.