V : 06.04.2018 (Eigenlabel) Gesamtspielzeit: 43:43
Not to be confused with a mixed formation from Scandinavia/USA, which released an EP in 2014, this band True North is one from Oregon, which presents its fourth album, Open Road, Broken Heart. Musical theme is Americana with a hefty dose of bluegrass. The basis for the sound, however, is basically acoustic folk with a very harmonious and melodic orientation. The compositions are thoughtful and full of beauty and intimacy. The music flows very relaxed and spreads a pleasant mood.
Most of the songs are by Kristen Grainger and are poetic about the things of life and all its hazards and horrors of everyday life in modern civilization. (” sold her house and all the things and put her in a home”, so on “One-Way Ticket” on the fate of a woman who was probably in a nursing home.) Kristen’s songs come across in an expressive and soft voice carried forward by the high-class accompaniment of the musicians. This music is ideal for relaxing, it would have been nice to add the lyrics to round out the harmonic overall picture. Unfortunately, these are not available on the website. So you have to focus more closely and listen to the texts in addition to the music, and will probably recognize that what seems a melancholy mood at first, a lot of positive views and optimism are also presented.
Due to the tightness of the album there is not necessarily one special song that stands out from the crowd, but I personally like “One-Way Ticket,” the beautiful “Ratio of Angels to Demons” and the additional composition (Fred Eaglesmith) “Wilder Than Her”best, with the beautiful vocal harmonies of Kristen and Dan.