TRINITY RIVER BAND, THINGS WE DO FOR DREAMS

TRINITY RIVER BAND
THINGS WE DO FOR DREAMS

Orange Blossom Records
No Number

The Trinity River Band has been busy. Real busy. Since 2014, this Florida-based family band has released five albums. That’s five in three years, and ten since they organized nine years ago. Some might argue that three in five years might be putting the band in danger of watering down their product. From a marketing standpoint, that’s a possibility, and it’s doubtful that a commercial label would go that route. The TRB is, however, releasing their own records and, evidently, they’re meeting a demand.

What is not “watered down” is the music itself. The TRB doesn’t lack for finding or creating good material. In addition to three solid originals from band mandolinist and vocalist Sarah Harris, they’ve drawn on the talents of, among many, Brink Brinkman, Kim Fox, Brandon Rickman, Jerry Salley, and Becky Buller. Of those, Fox and Rickman’s tale of sisters sharing confidences, “Between Me And Jolene,” stands out most prominently. Becky Buller and Irene Kelley’s “Time’s A Crooked Thing,” is right there with it, as are the memory and longing song, “The Promised Land,” and the classic country stylings of Carl Perkins’ “Silver And Gold.”

What also emerges from this recording is that the band is quickly forming a highly distinctive style, one that is both stately and polished, with intricate arrangements and a precise, almost elegant approach among the lead instruments and singers. In all areas, vocally and instrumentally, the members continue to refine and improve what is already of high quality. Hearing how well all this is coming together, it’s easy to forget how young three-fifths of this band is, and that in playing terms, especially for the younger members, nine years playing and singing is but the beginning of a long process. Perhaps putting out three recordings in five years, particularly if they’re of this quality, makes sense. (www.trinityriverband.com)BW