Music - October 2009
Holy Water & Whiskey
Spirits of All Kinds
Play "Goodnight Loving Trail"
from Spirits of All Kinds:
Genre: Bluegrass, Gospel, Folk
Story by Emily Drabanski
Spirits of All Kinds is a clever title for this CD, which has high spirited songs that run the gamut from a traditional ditty called “Whiskey Before Breakfast” to a selection of gospel tunes. All of the tracks have an old-timey feel that makes you long for simpler days. The Albuquerque-based trio offers pristine acoustic arrangements, but it’s the gorgeous vocal harmonies that will grab your ears. Imagine Peter, Paul and Mary if they’d decided to play bluegrass, and you’ll get an idea of what Holy Water & Whiskey sounds like.
The band is a family affair. Maggie Washburne (bass) and her husband, Bruce (guitar and banjo), played together in a band in the 1970s, took a 20-year hiatus to raise a family, and now are back sharing their first love—music. Scott Altenbach plays guitar, and his wife, Maria Globus, helps with the sound. Besides music, all of these folks have another love in common: farming. The Washburnes own and operate a farm in Cuba, New Mexico, and Scott runs his own farm in Albuquerque’s South Valley.
Spirits of All Kinds features several tunes by Maggie, as well as the band’s interpretations of traditional and other songs. Maggie takes the lead on her own gospel song, “Grandma’s Angel,” in an angelic style reminiscent of Iris DeMent’s. The trio concludes that track with a stirring a cappella chorus.
Of their adaptations, some of the standouts are of the Sons of the Pioneers favorite “Cool Water,” and country singer Guy Clark’s ballad “The Cape.” Westerners will enjoy the a cappella rendition of “Goodnight Loving Trail.”
For info: (505) 265-3218, www.holywaterandwhiskey.com, www.cdbaby.com
