Above the Prairie

by The Pines

Overview

Where the Pines excel is realizing their brand of folkie Americana leans toward the textural, not song. This isn't to say their 2016 album Above the Prairie lacks in songs. They're there, often sturdy even when they're open-ended, but the charm of Above the Prairie is that it sets a mood, one that's ideal for twilight or the early hours of evening just after the sun has set. Their harmonies and acoustic guitars are offset by smears of synthesizers -- keyboards that don't play hooks but rather add space and color -- and this provides just enough of a painterly bed that the rough-hewn vocals don't feel affected, they feel like they add a bit of dirt to a record that's just on the verge of floating away. Eventually, the songs do sink in, but the reason to return to the album is its ability to conjure a specific feeling, whether it's the second the sun sets or the moment that paved highway gives way to backwoods dirt roads. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	02/05/2016
Label:	Red House Records
UPC:	0033651029120
Rank:	143654

Tracks

1. Aerial Ocean
2. There in Spirit
3. Lost Nation
4. Hanging From the Earth
5. Here
6. Where Something Wild Still Grows
7. Sleepy Hollow
8. Villisca
9. Come What Is
10. Time Dreams

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Pines   Primary Artist
Ryan Young   Fiddle
Seth Wenger   Featured Artist
Iris DeMent   Featured Artist
Benson Ramsey   Vocals,Keyboards,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
John Trudell   Featured Artist
J.T. Bates   Drums
James Buckley   Bass (Upright),Bass (Electric)
Alex Ramsey   Piano,Vocals,Keyboards
Bo Ramsey   Featured Artist
David Huckfelt   Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Greg Brown   Featured Artist
Pieta Brown   Featured Artist
Quiltman   Featured Artist
Jacob Hanson   Guitar (Electric)
Constie Brown   Featured Artist
Tim Britton   Flute,Uillean Pipes
Michael Rossetto   Banjo

Technical Credits

Lars Leber   Cover Photo
Benson Ramsey   Group Member
John Svec   Engineer
Alex Ramsey   Group Member
Adam Krinsky   Mixing,Engineer
Bo Ramsey   Producer
The Pines   Producer
David Huckfelt   Group Member
Jim DeMain   Mastering
Jon Reischl   Design