The War and Treaty – Healing Tide
Thirty Tigers
-out now
4.5 / 5
Husband and wife duo Michael and Tanya Trotter wowed us at the Newport Folk Festival earlier this year. We mean, really really wowed us (they were the standout performance of the year, after all). The Albion, MI duo debut a soul/gospel LP here that, for being but a shadow of their live performance, is still beautiful in its earnest, soulful performances. We’re cutting to the chase: pick up this album, but moreover, catch them live while they’re still trying hard to fly under the radar.
Why? “Healing Tide,” the single they opted to lead with, is an energetic, poppy type of song. But it’s not the song we need you to listen to. The opener “Love Like There’s no Tomorrow” is a more traditional gospel song, acapella save for the tambourine, and it’s the jam we’ve been waiting for on our bone-dry bread. But that’s still not the song we need you to listen to. We’re declaring that Michael’s solo “If It’s In Your Heart” is one of those soulful songs that should bring tears to Stevie Wonder’s eyes. It’s exactly the kind of song we’ve hungered for: simple construction, straightforward lyrics, and held together entirely through some of the best vocals we’ve heard this year. We’re not lying: you will be impressed.
The full of the eleven tracks here are performed brilliantly and, again, still don’t compare to their live set. So, yes, this album is a gem, it is a diamond, and if you have the opportunity to catch the War and Treaty live, you will catch a performance that may change how you appreciate music. Highly recommended.
Here is their Soundcloud. Here is their site. You know what to do.