Tony Wright & Ryan Hamilton - Grand Ole Otley

Country music, while popular, often has a disdainful eye cast in its direction by modern day music fans.

Strangely enough this lack of respect for the genre doesn't apply as long as you call it Americana, but that's a discussion for another day because right here, right now, we are all about wrapping our ears around "Grand Ol Otley", the glorious side project of country covers released by Tony Wright of Terrorvision and Texan troubadour Ryan Hamilton.

Ryan, for those of you who are unfamiliar, is a gentleman whose star is most definitely ascending with his power pop/rock band Ryan Hamilton and the Traitors, a band that I would urge you to familiarise yourself with and then thank me later.

It's clear from the first track, a plaintive and haunting cover of Jolene with Tony taking vocal lead, that both men are bringing a great deal of passion for the material to the table for this release. This is a far cry form a vanity project. 

The term pastiche doesn't reside comfortably in the mouth, but homage certainly does.

Song after song you are left in no doubt that they are both happily immersing themselves in the performance. 

Tag teaming the material they pass the baton back and forth on the vocals and there's no hint that either will drop it.

Anyone with a passing interest in country music, or just good music in general, should consider this a must have addition to their collection. 

Tony Wrights take of In the Pines sees him adding his name to a very long list of artists who have done this traditional song justice, while Ryan Hamilton tackling of the Rolling Stones song Wild Horses is a sublime masterpiece. On an album that features many glittering jewels it is this that shines the brightest.

In so many ways this touches on being the perfect crossover album. Neither artist feel the need to grandstand and both appear to intimately understand that playing to their strengths as a team is what will provide rich dividends.

Weak links you ask? They don’t exist on this album. It starts of strong and remains strong throughout.

It's a release that they both should be extremely proud of, and one that fans of both artists should be equally enthused about lending an ear to.

The only thing left to say, and it's a question, is "when is the next one coming out?"

PLEDGE   TONY WRIGHT WEBSITE   RYAN HAMILTON & THE TRAITORS WEBSITE

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