Album Review:  The Milk Carton Kids, Live from Lincoln Theatre 

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The Milk Carton Kids are a folk duo, hailing from Eagle Rock California, with a fast-growing reputation as highly regarded Roots Americana artists. Live from Lincoln Theatre was recorded in 2013, while on tour promoting their second album, Ash & Clay.

Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan came together as a duo in 2011, after both had been performing as solo acts to little attention for some years.

Their debut album Prologue was released that year. The second Ash & Clay came in 2013, and this live album comes from a concert tour promoting it. Recorded in Columbus Ohio in October 2013, most of the show has been available on DVD for a while.

Hope of a Lifetime begins the show, and immediately you hear a classic Simon and Garfunkel folk sound. Close harmony vocals, quiet melodies, excellent unobtrusive picking on two acoustic guitars.

But as the show progresses, their music also sits in the tradition Roots Country music of sibling duos and family groups. The Everly Brothers, the Louvin Brothers, the Blue Sky Boys, Joan Baez and Mimi Farina, the Carter Family.

Ash & Clay is similar. What have we done to drive this country to such a state/ Lets come home before the girls are grown/ Lets come home to fight/ We’ll come home tonight.

Two albums under their belt, the sophomore one gaining much praise. Strong songs which don’t seem attached to any particular time.

Honey,Honey is a fast-picked front-porch Country/Bluegrass tumble of a song, an old-time pick-up tune.

The next Years Gone By is quiet with great high harmony singing and resonates with the Everly’s. But more in keeping with those brother’s origin music, like Roots and Songs Our Daddy Taught Us.

Charlie has a long intro, and here we get to hear the other facet of their live act, the between song banter which is a stand-up routine in its own right.

The song is about Kenneth’s baby girl he is expecting. How he would like to relate to her, and teach her about the world. While Charlie is waiting to be born, she is also waiting for a mother. Kenneth has been playing this song for over two years now. An insight into song-writing too.

There are also long discourses on Public Notaries, English grammar and etymology. The origin of the &Ampersand. Trust me, engaging and funny the more you hear them.

Great song too. Baby you’re only made up/ But I write this song for you.

Maybe It’s Time is a straight up Country song. Wistful and sad, George Jones territory, quietly dripping with pain.Did someone hurt you long ago/ Did someone desert you when you needed them.

Girls Gather ‘Round is Joe’s guitar moment when he flat-picks at speed, on a bragging song with a pronounced country twang on the vocals.

Snake Eyes begins with Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. This one is a Cowboy song in style.

Stealing Romance could be an American Songbook tune from between the wars

So, Tom and Jerry* might be the obvious first impression, but there is a greater depth and variety to their style.

Appropriately, they also appeared on a concert movie made by T-Bone Burnett and the Coen Brothers, Another Day/ Another Time: Celebrating the Music of Inside Llewyn Davis. The movie is based loosely Dave Van Ronk, a legendary folk musician in New York City at the time of the folk revival.

In the movie, they share the stage with Joan Baez, Jack White, Gillian Welch, Marcus Mumford amongst others.

Michigan has more high harmony vocals and a bittersweet melody and lyrics. Chronicles the downfall and depression of the State, home of General Motors and Motown. Looking in the rear-view mirror. Keep your hands where I can see them.

More sadness on Memphis, a final country tune. Sun goes down on Dolly Parton bridge/ Graceland is a ghost town/ Sundown on this country/ The onetime home of Soul takes its final breath.

This show was recorded several years ago. The malaise blanketing America currently has been coming for a while.  

But the music of the Milk Carton Kids resonates in a timeless fashion and reflects strength more than resignation.

* For train spotters. Tom and Jerry was the first public performing name of Simon and Garfunkel.

Rev Orange Peel 

Rev Orange Peel
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