Liz and Jared are back, together with Martin Sargent on double bass for the fourth full-length Urban Pioneers album. As the title of the album tells us this is “Hillbilly Swing Music” and seldom I’ve known an album title to cover the music so spot on!

When Jared forwarded the album my way and I put it on, a big smile appeared on my face for the exact reason above. My wife, Inny, looked at me, sitting there on the sofa, my headphones on and this big dumb grin on my face… “What the fuck are you smiling about…?” This album, this title, this music… It makes perfect sense… Was all I could say.

We all remember the times not to long ago when people would ask us what music we listened too… And most of the time my answer would be, “metal, punk, roots, hardcore, dark ambient… blablabla… Never ever would I’ve told them “Hillbilly Swing Music”! Why? Because how uncool is it to tell your friends you listen to Hillbilly Swing Music, I mean… C’mon…
Sure, we all like Waylon, Cash… and the cliché list goes on, but as a European hip cat (look at me, labeling myself) I would never admit to listen to “Hillbilly Swing Music”. Why? Because my mother-in-law had a line dancing bar back in the days and my wife and me hated the music they played at that joint. That music had nothing to do with this fantastic album, but for some reason… Who knows, who cares… I’m drifting… Back to the music!

So what’s new on this Urban Pioneers album? We can hear horns, piano, a slide-guitar, some rockabilly, and a tear-jerker here and there. What’s old and still good on this album? Funny lyrics, clever lyrics, amazing musical talent, honest songs, straight from the soul… Liz and Jared are not your pitch perfect bluegrass vocalists, but that does not matter, it works, it gives the album a sense of honesty, and speaking about honesty, I love the way their vocals sound. This is also the best sounding album they’ve ever released when we talk about production, mastering and all that nerding-out about “sound” kinda stuff.

I think it’s easy to say, I’m a fan of this one. And I guess you’ll be as well…

Check out this live version from the title track below and make sure you buy this album. And go online, bug Jared about releasing it on vinyl!!!!

ps. I’m as honest as I can be about albums, I also like to joke around. Every opinion about the music and the people playing this music is from the heart. If I’m talking about myself or events in the past… Yeah sure some are overrated… It’s called “fake news” these days… I just like to call it “creative fun”…