Blue Heart’s Revelry is one of those bands who found their musical sweet spot early on and have not strayed too far from their gooey, folky center.
They know exactly what they are about.
What they are about is blending the right amount of full-tilt bluegrass boogie with rock ’n’ roll, Americana, and a pinch of old-school country for added flavor.
So it is no surprise that the first track off of the Easton-based quintet’s new EP, “Love Anew,” is not only a great tune, but it effortlessly combines all of those elements.
But don’t slip off those dancing shoes just yet.
“Violence — Cocoon Version” and the title track are back-to-back foot-stompers that crackle with energy from the first note to the last.
They even find room to drop in a well-placed, and well-executed, ballad — “The Bottle.” But it’s not a ballad in the traditional sense.
“The Bottle” starts off slow enough but picks up steam as it chugs along — before switching to a waltz tempo for its climax. The song is reflective of Lucas Sutphen (vocals, guitars, banjo) and singer-guitarist Joe Burley’s ability to wrap tight vocal hooks around heartfelt (and honest) storytelling.
“When I’m hurting I’m hitting the bottle, when I’m sober I’m doing the same , and I don’t play the blame game no more, I’m just drifting these days,” Sutphen sings on “The Bottle.”
The rest of band is just as impressive, displaying strong musical chops throughout the album. Dan Stevens (violin), Dave Best (drums), and cellist/bassist Tony Marinelli round out the group.
The album ends on a high note with the mid-tempo jam “Nothing Left to Dream.”
Love Anew is filled with lamentation and has an air of melancholy about it. There are also flashes of wistfulness and hope — the latter of which is something we can all use a bit of right now.
“Love Anew” is available digitally, including Bandcamp.com , Spotify, and iTunes.