It's nothing new for a band, or one of their members, to go from something a little heavier to something more stripped and basic. Chris Carraba made the switch from Further Seems Forever to Dashboard Confessional, members of Botch formed Rory and then you've also got The Weakerthans and a stack of other projects/aliases or bands that have recorded acoustic versions of their tracks. While former Waxwing man Rocky isn't doing anything that's not been done before, he arguably does it better than most.
'Makers' is an incredibly open, passionate and honest record. There's no superfluous bullshit, no over-production and when he sings, he means it. Using just the guitar and, on occasions, a harmonica, everything about this record is heartfelt. 'Tinfoil Hats' and 'Goldfield' have alt-country leanings that are gorgeous, creating a warm and rounded sound that begs to be put on repeat. If you liked Rocky Votolato before, you'll like this too - if you didn't, check him out. It'll be worth the effort.
www.rockyvotolato.com
Barsuk/Sorepoint
Paul
