Album Review: Striking Matches: Nothing But The Silence

If you read my blog at all, you know I don't review stuff I don't like. There's enough of that out there, I just want to spotlight those making music I like. The new record by Striking Matches may be my favorite in 2015 so far. That being said, I do have one problem with Nothing But The Silence.

It is being marketed as a country album. While it is so much better than 99.99% of music being played on mainstream country radio, it's just not country. Of course, I have no idea what country music is in 2015.

The duo comprised of Sarah Zimmerman and Justin Davis put out and eleven song (nine to eleven is the perfect number of songs for a record) album with no filler. It's all good.

Nothing But The Silence was produced by T Bone Burnett. It is two voices, drums, bass and two other stringed instruments, mostly guitar with some mandolin in the mix.

It's groovy. And by that I mean it has groove, not Greg Brady groovy.

It has soul, something missing in a lot of today's music.

There is enough muscle for this headbanger to bob his head.

Sarah and Justin's vocals blend seamlessly. But the guitar interaction is what I love the most. Both went to the Berklee College of Music, so they should be good. But that means nothing if the music isn't good. Their diverse styles intertwine magically to create a musical tapestry that is beyond reproach.

There are country elements scattered around the record, But to me it has much more of a 70s and 80s rock vibe while sounding new and fresh. Maybe that's why I like it so much.

Here is "Hanging on a Lie". Enjoy.