Bluegrass mainstays Balsam Range are gearing up to release a new album, Moxie and Mettle, on 17 September. With 13 International Bluegrass Music Association awards, the North Carolina quintet’s keen intuition towards the human condition has seen them jettison towards the top of the genre—and all in just shy of 15 years. Their intuitive nature is palpable on their latest, too, as new single, “Franklin County”.
For an album replete with grounded reflections, “Franklin County” takes an eerie turn. Waxed in booze and superstition, it’s a slow-burning swamp-stomper basked in mystery. Speaking to classic bluegrass, the tune sinks its roots into a moonshining lead, painting a picturesque—if not unsettling—perception of the vintage Midwest. Balsam Range sink into an unrelenting, sauntering groove, with a wicked dobro leading the charge alongside their trademark harmonies.
Balsam Range’s Moxie and Mettle is available to pre-order, add, or save now.