12/09/2012

New Friends - Baskery

One of the things we love about festivals here at Spiral Towers is the opportunity of seeing new bands. For us, one of this summer's most exciting discoveries were Baskery, made up of three blonde sisters (yes guys..) Greta, Stella, and Sunniva Bondesson, from Stockholm, Sweden.

We were lucky enough to witness two of their live performances this year, at Beautiful Days and Shrewsbury Folk Festival, and quite frankly the girls blew us away with their accomplished musicianship and vivacious spirit on stage.

The band describe their music as 'killbilly' and 'mud-country'

With Stella playing double bass, Greta on drums, banjo, tambourine and harmonica, and Sunniva mastering the guitar, Baskery produce a sound that blends folk, americana, country and blues served up with a large shot of rock on the side. The band themselves describe their musical style as "killbilly" and "mud-country". However you define it, it seems to leave their audience exhilarated, yet slightly stunned by the intensity and fire of the performance.

'New Friends' is the second album from the trio, released on German label Blue Rose, following their debut album 'Fall among Thieves' in 2009. The album manages to preserve the energy and feel of the band's live set, with the ten tracks ranging from upbeat blues rock to more atmospheric, darker numbers.

Opening track 'Shame & Dance' underpinned by Stella's rhythmic double bass, builds to a toe-tapping crescendo that you'll find it hard to sit still to, while 'The Queen and the Drone, written by Greta, evokes a more dreamy, moodier tone. All the tracks benefit from the sisters intense vocals, including some stunning harmonies.

Until you can experience the excitement and thrill of catching the girls live, including witnessing Sunniva's high-kicking-drum-balancing escapades in person, 'New Friends' should get you through the dark autumn evenings, til festival season beckons again....

Kirsty Ambler

www.baskery.com

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