J Tillman is a singer/songwriter rooted in the traditional sounds of American folk and blues music. Since 2004 he has released a handful of hard-to-find records, all of which are now available in digital form on Autumn Tone Records. 2008 saw Tillman branch out his talents, as he started drumming for a fairly well-known folk band called Fleet Foxes. Heard of them? He also found time to record Vacilando Territory Blues, an album that is no doubt getting increased attention after a year of touring with and occasionally opening for Fleet Foxes. The attention is well-deserved, as it is his most collaborative and band-oriented effort to date. Though Tillman’s voice isn’t going to move the Blue Ridge Mountains like the high lonesome sound of Robin Pecknold’s, there is a strength and sturdiness in it that lends these 13 tracks a sense of deep honesty and weariness. At times reminiscent of the quietly powerful sound and stark imagery of Songs: Ohio at their very best, Vacilando Territory Blues is one of the more compelling pure Americana releases I’ve heard in quite a while. It is out now through Western Vinyl Records.
MP3 :: James Blues
MP3 :: Steel On Steel
(from Vacilando Territory Blues. Buy here)
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