Description
The War and Treaty, led by married couple Michael Trotter, Jr. and Tanya Blount-Trotter release their 2nd full album. Even before they began getting attention for debut album Healing Tide a couple of years ago, they created not just art but also a movement dedicated to restoration and elevation that eschewed naiveté. With new album Hearts Town, they continue to ride that wave while expanding their sound.
Pinning down that sound has always been a tricky enterprise. They loosely fell into Americana for their first EP and album, but always with touches of R&B, gospel and rock. Take a mix of church backgrounds, R&B recording artistry, and everything else you can catch over a lifetime. In the past, the group stayed just focused enough to feel at home in the South, happily unsettled in a genre. With Hearts Town, they mix all that together more openly, throwing in some strings, some Ray Charles and even a little disco. Their live shows are wild blasts of excitement and joy, and while they wisely resist attempting to capture that approach in the studio, they do turn up the excitement a little. Trotter takes over production duties for the first time, admirably drawing it all into a unified record.
