The Grahams and Friends album review: Echoes of Americana

Alyssa and Doug Graham are conscious of their debt to Americana’s rich history, but “we’re not trying to re-create anything; we’re trying to let the echoes ring in our ears”. The echoes include Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, so their taste is not in doubt. Nor is their choice in friends, including The Milk Carton Kids, Cody and Luther Dickinson, Sara and Sean Watkins, and John Fullbright.

This showcase collection is drawn from their 2015 album Glory Road and the soundtrack to their documentary about the relationship between the railroad and American roots music, Rattle the Hocks. It's a loose-fitting and engaging selection that highlights the couple's luminous storytelling and their easy relationships with their guests.

Alyssa's stirring duet with Fullbright on Tender Annabelle is one example, and certainly the slower material, particularly Lay Me Down and The Lonely Ones, consistently strikes the right note. thegrahamsmusic.net