The Punch Brothers release their new EP Ahoy! today. It opens with ‘Another New World‘, a song by Josh Ritter which featured on his 2010 album ‘So Runs the World Away‘. The Punch Brothers work their magic on this epic track which they slim down by a minute, adding greater atmosphere with a sonorous bass and sparkling mandolin opener. Chris Thile transforms this track into a great re-telling with mandolin lines that hold greater interest than the original.
Things pick up a pace all be it a bit more staight down the middle with their bluegrass cover of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Down Along the Dixie Line. The tradtional ‘Moonshiner‘ also gets a re-working, a popular song that has been covered by many from Bob Dylan to Cat Power and Jolie Holland, Chris Thile’s vocals take prominence with minimal opening accompaniment before a lovely mid-way uplifting melody that makes this one that bit extra special.
They save the most alternative and arguably the best to last with a cover of Mclusky’s ‘Icarus Smicarus‘ complete with band shouts and off kilter chords which fringe on the freeform before being pulled back into melody…an approach that our own Lau are proven experts at. A rip-roaring finale to a great little EP, we love it!
Listen via Deezer
Ahoy! is released on Nonesuch available for download now or on CD from 26 Nov 2012
