The Milk Carton Kids
The Ash & Clay
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Folk
It isn’t often that one hears an album that makes them fall in love with a genre all over again. Yet, The Milk Carton Kids’ latest release The Ash & Clay does just that.
Sublime harmonies, elegant guitars, and blissful lyrics epitomize the best of indie folk, reminding the world that sometimes less really is more.
The album opens with “Hope Of A Lifetime”, an idyllic ballad that introduces the angelic voices of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan. Lacking no personal emotion, the duo produces a trickling effect with their guitar picking as they harmonize lyrics like “That’s the way they used to find their way home. By the stars, on their own.”
“Heaven” breaks the album up with a hoedown vibe crafted with swift guitars and playful lyrics like “Go ahead stomp your feet on the floorboards. Clap your hands if that’s really what you came here for.” The fast-paced song adds a welcomed variety to the mostly peaceful soft rock and folk compilation.
The Ash & Clay comes to a close with “Memphis,” a gentle track emphasizing the duo’s singing ability that contributes just as much as their guitars. The song leaves the listener heavy with emotion as dreary guitar echoes are met with somber lyrics envisioning the country’s past.
With obvious comparisons to the likes of the Indigo Girls and Simon & Garfunkel, it’s hard to not fall in love with The Milk Carton Kid’s appreciation for simple folk ballads. The Ash & Clay could just be the best folk album of the year, making it definitely worth a second listen, or many, many more.
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