Although it's been out for quite a while now, One of the most played albums of 2010 at the Tuckshop Community Radio HQ has been the beautifully recorded debut album from Dear Winesburg. For those of you that have tuned into the rather erratic shows this year (2011 will be more consistent - and that's a promise) you should already be quite familiar with this fantastic folk outfit. A finely assembled group of acoustic whippersnappers who consistently pick, strum and tap their way merrily together creating songs that are both melodic and haunting.
Not only have they kept my head nodding along for the most part of this year but has, it seems, also struck a chord with my first nephew Alexander who at the ripe age of 9 weeks spent a very miserable afternoon crying in my living room (life is obviously hard at that age). Desperately trying to calm him down I out of frustration hit the play button on my stereo where Dear Winesburg had been happily living. There is now no doubting that Alexander probably possesses a keen ear because after the beautifully brief introduction to this album his crying had almost completely stopped, in fact by the time we had got halfway through Dark Water pt I & II I do believe I saw him smile for the first time and by track 4 aptly entitled "windy old weather" baby Alexander was fast asleep.
Later as he left with his parents I passed them my copy of this brilliant album and have since been told he listens to it every night, a luxury which is undoubtedly good for him, but bad for me as I can no longer listen to Dear Winesburg.
To get your hands on the delicious debut album by Dear Winesburg you should visit them on myspace here or join them on facebook. You can also listen to the likes of them and other folky wonders (as well as some heavier stuff) at Tuckshop Community Radio.
