The Americans Debut

The Americans Debut

Bruce Von Stiers

The Americans is a band that I had never heard about. That is, until I got sent their debut album to review. Their style is rock with a distinct nod to traditional American music.

The members of the band are Patrick Ferris, Jake Faulkner and Zac Sokolow. The band has been compared to artists such as Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen. Jack White and Robert Redford picked the band's music for a few songs for the PBS documentary series American Epic. You can't get a better stamp of approval than one from Robert Redford.

Earlier last year the band released an EP that featured songs off their full debut album.

The debut album from The Americans is I'll Be Yours. It was produced by the band and Hal Wilner. Not only is Wilner the sketch music producer for Saturday Night Live, he has produced albums for Marianne Faithful, Lucinda Williams and many other noted artists. It was released on the Incandescent Records label.

I'll Be Yours has eleven songs and a play time of forty-two minutes.

Nevada is the first song on the album. It has a toe-tapping sound. A gambling addiction and the woman who puts up with it, or not, is the theme of this song.

The Right Stuff is a solid song with decent guitar and vocals. It is about not being able to make his dreams come true in the big city and having to go back home.

Stowaway is a tough, hard hitting song. Cool guitar permeates this tune about her sneaking into his hear. This is my favorite song of the album.

The title track, I'll Be Yours, is a wonderful combination of rock and alt folk. It is a sad love lament ballad.

Last Chance is a love lost ballad. He wants another chance, please.

Hooky is a fast and furious tune.

Slowing things back down is the ballad Gone At Last.

You know that he's in love with her in the ballad Harbor Lane.

Long Way From Home is a cool, fast song that might remind you of something Springsteen might do.

Bronze Star is a fluid, sad ballad.

Daphne is the last song on the album. It is a soft and gentle song. Listening to it, I kept thinking that this would be a song like Bob Dylan would do.

After listening to this album, I can see where people such as Robert Redford really like this band. I think that I'll Be Yours is just the first in the long line of albums for the band.

I'll Be Yours is available on iTunes, amazon.com and many other music outlets.

The Americans official web site can be found at http://www.theamericansmusic.com/home .

They also have a band page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/theamericansmusic

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