Headstone Brigade – Victory & Defeat (Album – Headstone Brigade)
Genre/Influences: Neo-Folk, Chanson.
Format: Digital, Vinyl.
Background/Info: Based in Seattle (USA) Headstone Brigade call themselves Dark-Folk, Neo-Folk, Pagan-Folk, Melodramatic-Pop and Depressing-Polka. Driven by core member Egan Budd they’ve already released a few albums this year unleashing the newest opus “Victory & Defeat”.
Content: The album features ten songs revealing an impressive mix of influences. It sounds definitely as Dark-Folk and Neo-Folk but there’s also a true sensibility running through the work reminding me of Chanson but also to the ambiance of Fanfare and that much more. The play of real instruments like guitar, trumpet, accordion, cello ao inject an authentic touch to the work.
+ + + : I like this album for its varied compositions; the mix of influences and play of different instruments create an eclectic composition which is however based upon a solid Neo-Folk and Dark-Folk sound. But I like the addition of trumpet and especially accordion adding an extra touch of Folk and sensibility. Headstone Brigade can get you happy at one song and melancholic at another one. Some passages are truly elevating which according to me reveals the talent of the project.
– – – : There’s just one single song (cf. “The Flooded Mausoleum”) which sounds totally different to the rest of the work; it feels a bit like a lost Ambient/Cinematic cut in a Neo/Dark-Folk universe. The song however evolves into accordion play which makes it hard to catch.
Conclusion: This band and album sounds as a true revelation; it’s an artistic and accomplished production from a band you’ve to discover. .
Best songs: “We Set Sail”, “Victory & Defeat”, “Fall Of The Colosseum”, “As Mother To Sun”, “Samhain Reign”.
Rate: 8.
Artist: www.facebook.com/headstonebrigade
Listen to “Victory & Defeat”:
About Headstone Brigade
Headstone Brigade is a Seattle (USA) based project driven by core member Egan Budd, describing its own sound as Dark-Folk, Neo-Folk, Pagan-Folk, Melodramatic-Pop and Depressing-Polka. The project released several albums during 2023, including “Victory & Defeat”, built around real instrumentation such as guitar, trumpet, accordion and cello. Egan Budd discussed the band’s approach in a Click Interview with Side-Line.
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