The Long Haul by The Wynntown Marshals

‘The Long Haul’, the new album by The Wynntown Marshals, was recorded in three short months in the band’s Edinburgh loft space. Recorded and mixed on a Tascam portastudio by Andrew Taylor, a good friend of the band, the album sees the band stretch out a little from the purer Americana sound of ‘Westerner’. Organ and piano are more prominent this time round and there are pop hooks aplenty, sitting comfortably alongside more guitar-heavy tracks and subtler, more intimate moments. On two tracks, simple strings are employed to beautiful effect and there is also a sparkling cameo from Diane Christiansen of Chicago-based outfit Dolly Varden on the album closer ‘Change of Heart’. The trademarks of the Marshals’ sound – honest and heartfelt lead vocals, the driving guitars, chiming Rickenbacker 12-string, and sweet pedal steel – are still present. The story songs of old are also in attendance; ‘Curtain Call’ is a stripped-down hymn to a ruined Victorian illusionist, while the country-shuffle/sea- shanty of ‘The Submariner’ tells the tale of a modern-day Captain Nemo. However, line-up changes have brought a new dynamic and a more collaborative approach to songwriting and arrangements, while adding new flavours to the sound too. Listen closely and you’ll hear multi-layered backing vocals, mellotron, banjos and mandolins, echoes of 60s beat-pop, and simpler, more contemporary guitar lines. Highlights include the hook-laden, radio-friendly ‘Canada’ and the country-rock groove of ‘Low Country Comedown’ - a track inspired by the band’s regular trips to the continent. ‘Whatever It Takes’ shows the band’s more sensitive side, ‘The Submariner’ rolls up-country then dives deep into the ocean. ‘Tide’ is a windblown, Crazy Horse-esque workout, and the aforementioned ‘Change of Heart’ brings the album to a close in epic style (think Neil Young or Tom Petty jamming with a string quartet). ‘The Long Haul’ speaks of so much more than the path the band have travelled to get to this point. It’s a treatise on journeys past, present and future, an ode to relationships, friendships and family and, ultimately, it’s a soundtrack to our endless search for identity and the road home. credits releases 15 July 2013 Keith Benzie: lead & backing vocals, guitar, harmonica, handclaps Iain Sloan: guitars, pedal steel, resonator, handclaps, backing vocals Murdoch MacLeod: bass guitar, vocals, additional rhythm guitar on 5 Kenny McCabe: drums, backing vocals, piano on 8 with: Andrew Taylor: keyboards, banjo, mandolin, percussion Diane Christiansen: harmony vocals on 10 Christine Munday: violin on 8 & 10 Julia Munday: cello on 8 & 10 Owen Nicholson: additional rhythm guitar on 3, 4 & 7 Produced by Andrew Taylor at Wynntown HQ & Inch House,Edinburgh Diane's vocal on 10 recorded by Steve Dawson at Kernel Sound Emporium, Chicago, Illinois Mastered at Swanfield Studios, Edinburgh 1.Driveaway 2.Canada 3.Low Country Comedown 04:59 4.Whatever It Takes 5.Tide 6.The Submariner 7.Crashing (Like The Reds) 8.Curtain Call 9.North Atlantic Soul 10.Change Of Heart ℗ 2013 The Wynntown Marshals