BIRDS OF CHICAGO
Roadworks Tours presents
BIRDS OF CHICAGO
plus guest
Birds of Chicago, is a collective based around JT Nero and Allison Russell. Whether touring as a duo or with the full family band, Nero and Russell have emerged as two of the most compelling new voices in North American Roots music.
For several years Russell and Nero’s respective bands, Po’ Girl (Vancouver, BC) and JT and the Clouds (Chicago, IL), have collaborated extensively, but on 2011’s Mountains/Forests, released under the JT Nero banner, they tapped into the true, bewitching power of their voices together on an entire record. It also featured the full cast of characters that would round out the Birds of Chicago ensemble — the Clouds and Michelle McGrath, the luminous singer and picker from the hidden hills of Southeast Ohio.
The record received critical raves and won them new fans on both side of the Atlantic, and created a great deal of excitement for the first official Birds of Chicago album, released in August, 2012 – and what a reception it received, attracting accolades from just about every quater. Nero’s fractured country-soul voice wrapped in Russell’s silver and gold tones, is a fine thing. Not too perfect, not at all saccharine, you’ll hear echoes of mountain gospel, street corner doo-wop, and classic soul. Accompanied by just a banjo and a guitar, it’s haunting. Fired by the band, it’s a full tilt revival.
Nero and Russell are most at home on the road – pick almost any night in the next two years and you can bet they will be in some festival, theater, pub, VFW hall, roller rink (they wish) or living room, dovetailing their voices, singing their songs of hope, despair, love…. and electric seahorses. And honey bee apocalypses. And ice cream. It’s familiar and strange stuff – the everyday and the magical. Come see ‘em, they won’t be hard to find. In 2014 the band is back with a brand new live CD.
“Achingly gorgeous. Slinky, vulnerable and reverent of the Memphis soul of yore.” Chicago Tribune
“This is more or less perfect Americana, an utterly exceptional talent. The album is an extraordinary start to 2013 and will certainly be in my Final Top 10 at the end of the year” Americana-UK (10/10)
“Let’s face it, there is flotsam and jetsam washed up on the shore of the modern music scene. Sometimes it’s the difference between a lump of coal and a diamond. Occasionally it’s coming across a grain of iron pyrites when, for all the world, a large nugget of gold is in your hands. Such is this record” Maverick
“Evoking the most moving moments of Ben E King, the Everlys and Springsteen. Long may they fly.” NetRhythms
“The pairing boast a highly-assured, ultra-melodic style that recalls Paul Simon & a folkier Buckingham/Nicks in equal measure “ Acoustic magazine
“Birds Of Chicago excels through the sheer variety and complexity of its sound” The Telegraph
“Simply, simply beautiful” Bluesbunny
“Birds of Chicago is a melodic testament to the power of two wildly talented artists spreading their arms to welcome each other and a community into their sublime world, and the twelve songs of their eponymous debut effort just may make you an evangelical believer”. No Depression
“One of the finest pieces of American music – of any form – I have heard in years.’ Music News
“There’s a real musical alchemy in action on this album and the contributors have worked some magic in creating a set of tunes that are a real delight to listen to start to finish – one to file under essential listening” Beat Surrender
“This is undisputedly a really, really top example of songwriting and performing in the Americana genre.” Fatea
“This is one album that seems to grow better through repetition and I’m enjoying it more every time – might just be one of the top ten Americana albums this year or even top 5.” Music News
TICKETS
€13.50 available online from WAV Tickets [Lo-Call 1890 200 078] (50c per ticket service charge applies on phone or creditcard bookings)